•■^-•*»n»K»»«ii«(;rA'-S-:«-.v'.-k;::*tiii;„^«,ASiSBSJ' 


fHiicrtlairp. 


StEtS9BZX« 


FOR  THECENTISEL. 


rT!i;  fo'ilcj  vin;^  Ltr.ty  was  wrote  auJ  piihlifl'.eJ  imrne- 
♦Viucly  aftei'  the  .rrc.it  fiie,  March  20,  1  ';6o,  and  is  now 
rei)u^h!h:il  as  a;).>licJibie  to  il)e  late  Coufl^gratiou] 


T.iE  imcert^iiiity  of  h'ursan  life,  the  tranf.tory  nature 
a'lJ  coiuiniral  /icifiiMJes  otthis  pref^nt  Hate  of  bei-aj; 
niul  of  all  cn;oy^.lsav^  :\nd  poireUions  in  it,  are  truths  io 
well  known  10  every  tlioug'  tfvil  pcrfi)n,anii  have  {o  ofu'a 
Veen  the  fuhjecls  of  j'.iuicious  wi'itrrs  i'l  all  ages,  that  the 
rtro-!t;iftiavtinticn  c^n  perhaps  foarctfi 'id  any  thing  novv 
po  vW'iVy  am!  a  m'^v'.el^  Mdfe  vvith  reludiance  u;u!ertakes 
the  ihc^ne  :  Vet  fich  is  the  fr.iiUy*  of  huinan  nature,  that 
wiicn  a  fuJUcii  Cutaftrophe  l"urroui-5.ls  us  themintl  isfint- 
tereJ  an.l  vlirco;ic«rteil,  and  lIocs  not  r-'aJily  collefl  th.)fe 
rcfiet^inns  fuiiablc*  tt>  the  occafjon,  or  elie  by  Jiasnng 
been  nf^tl  to  r.egiedl  fuch  refi?(?Vi;)ns,  froTi  a  coii^feptiun 
that  they  mnft  needs  flo-.v  naturally  f'ro.ii  fvscU  calamities 
a-.  Ihould  prcducc  thenV,  the  rr.i-iJ  throi^jh  ujriife^  may 
not  immeJiateiy  conceive  them  wlieti  v.-cintjd.  It  is 
tru;,  ilie  voice  of  naturt  has  ah^ays  hsen  the  fame, 
is  continually  founding,  and  ur.uerftood  by  nil  ;  yet 
Aran^.'^  ^"  f-'iy>  what  we  hear  t!ic  ofteneft,  v\'e  attv-nd  to 
the  leafl,  and  what  wc  are  fhe  moft  cert.iia  of,  wa  g;ive 
the  l^^aft  heed  lo  ;  but  there  are  times  when  g>)  >d  proti- 
detice  fends  a  loader  Aimmonsby  th.'  flrnj;;les  of  na:ti.]rer' 
nnu  prjclaims  thofetriiths, which  thov^gh  they  could  not 
operate-;  by  :he  inip.Trtancc  of  tlvelr  nature,  yet  inay  force 
their  effeil  by  io.iziii^:^  the  palfio'is  ;  l)ut  here  fraiky  a- 
jrain  takes, place;  from  extreme  tlmushtltfihefs,  t'-.e  paf- 
fions  b;ing  rouzod,  wc  rt?ni  oa  to  confufuni  and  <rrrar  ; 
like  pilots  jrowing-.carelcfs  by  a  long  calm,we  llesr  by  the 
jrafl  (vf  paffion,  iiiftjad  of  the  cnmpjfj  of  underllanding, 
liccdief:;  of  the  port  of  ttuth,  and  negligent  of  thofe  du- 
ties to  v»'hicb.  the  paiTi  )ns  were  only  defigr.ed  to  urge  c  . 

To  ]ioint  foith  and  fimiU  irife  thefe  tni'.Ii'jhasbcen  tlie 
\yfQ\\  h.indlod  fubjefl  of  tlie  bel^  writeis  ;  but  v^-hile  na- 
t.irc  contiiijes  to  firtj.-non,  and  t!ie  wifdoin  of  her  voice 
remains  in  any  nieafure  n.cgleded,  ths  tlieme  cannot  be. 
truly  exbaaft^d,  nor  the  rer>etition  of  it  neiJIefs. 

For  tliefe  ends,  this  EiFiy  is  prefented  to  tire  public 
vi  nv,  if  it  prifs  u:id^r  the  ju  Igment  of  al^lc  miiuls,  they 
will  acfjuiefce  in  any  truth,  and  at  le:'.fl  rr.ny  Tron  hence 
take  a  hint  for  nobler  thougIit5.7  befijc-;,  r'lrre  is  a  fat- 
ijfaiftion  wc  all  feel  in  giving  vent  to  tlie  tlirobbings  of 
the  bofom,^nd  in  C()lIe<Sli)ig  to  fome  ord^r, thofe  t,ho-:ghts 
wliich  fioal  through  the  mind  on  fuch  .occafiflns* 

L'it  this  then  be  the  apology;  but  if  ftifl  ar.y  one 
fhnul.l  cenfurc  rm  for  treading  in  this  unaccul^oinjd  path 
of  v/;:ting,  I  mull  nnit  the  difpute  and  rcreera  mvfclf  be- 
/icalh  the  horroi-s  of  that  never  to  be  forgotten  nitrht,Hhen 
the  flaniJ^  bro'ce  loafs  on  our  hcufe-^j  and  laid  fo  large  a 
part  of  our  capital  in  ruins:  I  am  fcnfible  that  p.aintcd 
t-irrorr;  ill-hecoTTi  re  i!  {.n-zow,  and  are  never  to  be  ufej 
Iv.it  wlien  tlie  pafTnns  r.re  fluggifti  ;  and  therefore  'p:i^- 
fiMg  over  that  ample  fieM  for  defri-iptLon,  which  the  late 
unliappy  cataftrcphe  afToris,  fiiall  confine  myfelf  to  thofe 
l'>ber  f:i(?ils  which  no  body  Hiould  he  igiornnt  of,  and 
vvith  wliich  every  body  muft  needs  be  affedtcd. 


It  ivas  tnsn  in 
!!■  I)')d!es  were  fn 


P,  that 


he  firft  vvatchis  of  the  morn-ng, 
tft  fit.tered    v.icii   foii;ul;:ft  flee 
the  ftre  wa>  firil  difcoveret',  and  the  town  r.l.u-med  with 
?A\  oiit-cfv  ;  the  inhahitants  were  fpeedily  colledled,  and 
thoagh  the  fire  was  foind  in  the  cell.lr  of  a  brick,  hottfi;^ 
yet  it   fojn    eat  through  its   prifon  ;   tlie   wind    I>lovviiig 
frefli  nrgsd  on  the  fiamei,  and  witli  fari^rlfing  fury  tl\ey 
ravaged  ill    fpite  of  all  oppofition   or  means  to  fiipprefs 
them  ;  the  cinifers  and  burninr;  ruins  were  carried  to  the 
leeivardmofl   part  of  the  town,  by  means  of  vvhich  fome  " 
who  thought  tliemfelves  in  noda:<ger,  were  tlje   fconeft 
confumcd,  and  tlie  inhabitants  of  them  being  tjnthcreil  t«> 
affiil  at  the  heid  of  the  fire,faitered  the  greatcfliolTcs  at 
thsir  own  hDufes  ,•   the  like  evil  happened  to  niiaibcrs  of 
tradefmen,  whofe  fliops  werefo  quick  fuel  foi"th^  flames, 
tiiat  their  tools  and  ftock.  were  all  confumcd  before  they 
could    repair   to  rhem  ;  in  fome   pLices   we   heard   tlic  I 
ihrieks  of  mothers  and  children  rouzed  from  their  beds 
i)y  the   furrounding  flimes,  and  no  man  to  l^elp  ;   h-^rc 
\vi  might  behold  thaageif,  thefick  and  the  bcd-rid,  whofc 
cUd'ancc  fyom  the  feat   of  th^  fire  i^ave  them  iiopes  of  fe- 
rurity, driven  forth  CO  the  inchmeneies  of  the  wearl:)er,not 
knovs'in;  where   to  fttalter;   there  we   miglit    fee  tiiofs 
whofe  !eart-tho::v:htS   were    placed  on   their  fuoib.nce, 
,  and  whofe  greateft  anxiety  w^as  to  fave  their  lives:  Thus 
laged  thi?  fire,  forcieig  its  way  at  the  windows  of  brick 
Iioufes,  whofe  fiatsd   roofs  were   tlionglit  a  fujfi.-ient  de- 
fence, thui  aJding    burning   to   burning,    till  it  left   no 
building  nnconfjir.ed  where  the  wind  would  let  it  pa f<:. 
The  natural  horrors  of  the  night  r.odcd    terror   to  this 
cataftrophs;  and  at  once  rendeied  it  more  difnial  to  the 
eye,  mure  grevious  to   be  born,  and  more  difRcutt  to  be 
fiipreffsd,  till  the   odious  nigh.t  wore  out,  and  with  it 
vanifhsd  the   height  of  our  fc;ars  ;    hut  not   f^  ;he  reality 
of  our  f.irrow,  tlie   rifen   fun   aXTuaged  the  glosm  of  the 
night,  but  gave  vis  a   difmal   |M-ofj.ccl   of  its  havock  ;  a 
fjieftacle  (hocking  to  fenfibility  !    Like  the  blafted  trees 
of  fammer,  or  the  fkeleton  of  fome  deiightfui  body  j   ycf 
far  lefs  ungrateful  to  the    figlu  than  forrowful   to  be  rc- 
f.efled  on.     Take  a  furvey  tiien  of  thefe  e:ttended  ruins  , 
here   once   llvej    the  loyal  fubjecfl,    the  tender  father, 
t.he  obliging  friend,   awd  a  go»d   common\vealths-man  ; 
but  their  habitatioris,  as  with  one  fweep  .of  a  fcy:!ie,  are 
alt  cut  off,  and    they   thrown   on  the  charity   o'f  their 
friends  :  And  is  this  all  ?  Alas  thereaie  ilill  morehean- 
}>iercing-fceries  ;  walk   through   the   ruin?,  and  take  a 
n-.ore  particular  account ;   here  lived  the  laborious  tradef- 
tx\\n,  on  whos's  daily  induftry  depended  the  fuftenance 
of  a   iiumsrous  family  ;  there  lived  one  wliofe  ciicum- 
Itances  were  f^raitened  with  poverty,   and  diftrefled   by 
ficknefs  :  hcrQ  livesl  one  jhR:  enic-iging  fiX>'Ti  indigence, 
,atld  reaping  the  firfl  fruits  of  honeft  liidufvry  ;  tlierelivdd 
thofc  whofe  comfci  table  circumltances  afvwrded  a  refuge 
for  the  needy,  and  an  habitation  for  t!ie  friendlefs  ;   htrc 
lived  th>fe  whofe  fubfiflence  depended  on  their  fltuation  i 
for  bafi-.iefs  ;  There  lived  thofa  whofe  all  vvas  ip   their 
■houfes,  and  here  thofe  who  are  ftill  unhappily  aafwera- 
%\ei  for  all  they  loll  ;  there   lived,  and  there  v.-as  the  fub- 
fiftcnce  of  th«  agfld  and  infirm,  whofe  frugal  inuufcry  in 
voutli,  had  procured  them  the  merited  fupport   of  eafy 
old  age,whea  the  body  unflrnng  for  labor  can  no  longer  fup- 
port vtrelf— But  all  cut  off,  their  ihduftry  appears  nomor^, 
and  the  fatigues  of  youth  ovortakes  them,'A'hen  a^^e  (hould 
1>e  at  reft  ;   the  children  muft  bdg,  and    ti-.«e  indafliiuus 
niuft  be  dependent,  the  forehanded  repeat    liis  toil  anew, 
and  the  debtor  lay  at    mercv  ;  the   friendlefs   rnufl  feck 
for  otUer  p:itrons,  and  they  who  pitronizcd  implore  com- 
panion ;  the  affluent  a»ed   mart   forget  ih?ir   eafe,  and 
too  foon    lofe  the   hcnetit   uf  that   fubilancs  which  they 
could  not  carry  hence. 


►.  «  -  -  -P 


t   bs  w  ^  .=. 
C   =   4^  .rr 

.r:  c  -^  —  rt 


■-2  z;  cr 

■1-11 

-  ~  — 


■J-  _2  '1 

"15         M 

•.>     IS     O 

-5     O    -» 

ill 
s^  ^' 


.o  ^•c'u:  'J 


fco 


._   ;:   !• 

r.    P   ?" 


■^  _>, 


o  "i   ;;   - 


all.    V/here  (ball  i!'.e  mifer  befiow  his  hoarftK^r  t^e  ex- 
rorrioner  his  ill  coaen  ciin?,  or  how  f-iall  the  worLlly 
'  m^n  feciiic  liis  hn-piiicl"s  when  flames  furronnd  them  ?   j' 
I  The  huge  i>i!lars()'f  I'mcak.  which  v/e  beheld  floating  to 
-  the  llcy  were  at  onceemM  .n  a  iral  (»f  our  poireffions  ;uul 
<lecl;'.rr.tivev';f  their  lofb:   but  wh.at  Uy   thefe  mishty  ru- 
in^ r  they  <h.ew  ur.  rt  how  uncei  tain  a  tenure  we  liold  our 
'■ncnts,  foi-  next  ur/Jer   a  fov-ereign  providence  we 
.1  indc!-t;J  even  to  tlie  llahilicy  of  the  wind  that  it  did 
noi  vr.ry  :ind  roll  tlie  fiames  f)ver  ilie  whole  town.  Witii 
hoiv  nuiclj  eafe  then  can  we  fhifc  the  fcene   ana  fuppofe 
ourkhes  in  the  fituation  of  t'le    prefeiU  diftrcfled  ;   was 
il  onr  ?o)-loef>,   or  vi&ilaiKC    that  protcdcc-i  us  ?   And  if 
beiiiE  dv-ftroycd,  we  fliould  have  felt  foi  row;  hemg  (o 
narrouly  favcd  can  we  fail  to  me't  witli  fympaihy  ?  and 
if  ever  the  go'dsn  rule  was  capable  of  a  benevolent  appli- 
cation th:  molt  infer.fiblc  mull  now  feci  it,  at;d  the  rwoii 
hardijricd    put  it  in  praifuce  ;    and   he  who  on  this  octa- 
fi'in  i}oct  not  biftovv  bjantifnlly  to  the  relief  of tlie  imme- 
diate fiiff.?rers,  muft  eithei  flatter  himfelf  with   foir.e  pe- 
culur     infail.ble    protection,     or    being     defnerate     in 
gidJinefs,  bid  a   bold   de/iance    to    all   calamity.     Nor 
can  nny    one,    thourrh    nut    immediately    expofed  to  this 
deflrn'^iorj,  r;rrno'   cliftant  from  tliis  capital,  furmif©  that 
cliey  h  ive  no  pyt  in  its  general  admonition  ;  'tis  nature's 
voice,  tliat   well   known  herald  of  the    Almis'ity    wt^ich 
tiio'  it  b^  now  uttered  liere,  yet  echoes  every  where  ;   'tis 
but  one  \\'a\  of  that  amazinj   fcourge,  brandifhed  by  tlie 
hand  cf  vcngoaicr,  againft  a  guilty  world  ;  the  fame  fire 
may  parch  up  that  land  wtiicli  it  does  not  confumc,  and 
'  eat  tliq.iakes   make  [is  dtfolation  vVorfc  than  t!)e  j^refer.t; 
I  if  theiefore  we  are  common  tenar^ts  of  a  fl^ats  variegateji 
I  with  joy  and  forro\\',  merhiaks  '^is  natural  v.e  fhould  in 
i  fonr.':- meafurc  lliare  tlie  good  of  it  which   we  all  want, 
;  feeii^.g  we  are    equally    expofed   to  the  evils  of  it,  under 
I  which  we  all  dcfue  to  be  i  tUeycd. 

I      O,  rr.y  foul,  whnt  a  tliought  arifes  !    can    it   v/ith  truth  be 
'  faid,    th^t  any    in   lii'^n^"  l^i^TC.    though  their  d;;;I}  fiipport 
v/ere  robbery,  fhould  lark  for  thr  canfufionof  a  public  calam- 
ity, and  plunder  live  property  of  the    difti  el'ed.;    or   that  any 
after  cool  df liberation,  upon  wh  itioevcr  pretence,   (bould  ci- 
tSer  pnbliclciy  or  priv:vt  ly  difcountJnnnce  that    relief  to   the 
'  diftrelTed  vKich  we  rr.r;  all  atfo-ne  time  want, and  which  hu. 
,  inanity  fugjcft*;  ?  forbid  it  hccV,",-n  !   ,.  ^ 

Ala5,   we  fojourn  in  a  vile  of  tears,  forrow  on  every   fid? 

'furrounds  us,    and  tails  fsr  thofe  duties   wh.ich    v/e  ftcl  im- 

'prcned  in  out  natures,  daties  fo  endeliably  crp,raven,   th 't  a 

lu-at!ien  fail.  "  In  nothing  do  we  more  imrr.iiate  the  ir'mor- 

'  tal  Gods,  than  in  doing  adls  of  Irir'dnefs,"  ths  voice  of  rcve- 

I  lation  is  ftill  mere  explicit,  and  fo  plain,  that   ha   who   nm? 

rR*7  read.     PofTcfiions  take   to  themfelvcs  wines;    to  what 

f  purpolc  is  it   then,   that  \vc  dillrefs,  perplex  and  corrupt  our 

minds  in  trcttiag  v.'cahh,  the   pofllHion  of  which  is  fo  preca- 

\  riotis  ?  With  what  f<ice  can  w;  fwell  with  the  conceit  of  riches 

j  and  aflame  air?  of  irftportante,  difdain,  opprefs,  ind    tyran- 

'  nite  over  iholc  bcp.esvh  us  (perhips  only)  in  fortune,  when   a 

few  hours  may  fet  us  all  on  a  level  ?  Hew  much  does  it  become 

'  us  while  in  effluence  to  demean  outl'elve*   with  li'f.b  honef^y, 

humanity  and  beneficence,  as  that    if  calnmily    Ibould  over- 

',  take  u:,  x'.'c  may  ftand  ccn'cfTcdly  the  worthy  objedts  of  nred- 

I  I'-il  relief?  Mclhinks  this  cncdlrophc  is  big  with  inftrucftion, 

(couid  any  me  f^e'.he  dire  havock   produced  from  fo  fmall    a 

r(  fire,  and  not  feel  the  obligatioR?  v/e  owe  to  the  community  in 

our  of.rnromy  of  this  neceirary    but  devouring  ele.Tj-nt,  and  of 

erefy  thing    that  is  cpt   fncl  for  the  farhC  ?  for  as  our   pof- 

"efTiop.s  are  not  fccuied  by  ourovvr  finzle  carelulneliB,  the  duty 

hcrcforc  becomes  general  ;  and  may  I  be  permitted  to  take  a 

hint  from  thi$  dreadful    defolation,   and  point    it   forth  as  an 

emblem  of  that  deftrudion,  v/hich  the  pafli'-.ns  -.vhcs  lr.i  Icofc 

odiicc  in   huo'an  min»ls  5    when  the  firft  cxccfs  is   r\ot  (up- 

preffed,  like  the  htt  ^  re  they   ravage, incrc  ifc  by  running, and 

may  deltroy  every  t!^    jg  valudbie  in  the  mind  ;  .nay   entirely 

■p  us  of  that  real  t^   al'urc  which  only  can  fVand  us  in  Itead 

when  a   greater  conflagration  diall  fciie  this  earth,    when  wc 

fhall  be  as  little    ansi-)  1-;  to   fave  our  lives,   i.s  many    lately 

were  to  favc  their  worldly  pcJTefT'ons. 


Dr.  Mayhew's 


■■T*^.t 


DISCOURSE 

ON      THE 

SDcatI)  of  K.  George  II. 
And  Acceffion  of  K.  George  III. 


A 

DISCOURSE 

Occafioiied  by  the  Death  of 

King  George    IL 

AND       THE 

Happy  Acceffion  of  His  Majefty 

King  GEORGE   III. 

TO       THE 

Imperial   Throne  of 

G  R  E  A  T-B  R  I  T  A  I  Ni 

Delivered  Jan.  4th   I'jbi. 

AND 

PuWillied   at   the  Defire   of  the  Weft  Church  and 
Congregation  in  Bojlou,  Nezu-England, 

By  Jonathan  Mayhew,  D.  D. 

Paflor  of  the  faid  Church. 


m^^^^mmsim^m 


BOSTON:     N  E  W  -  E  N  G  L  A  N  D. 
Printed  and  Sold    by    Edes    &   Gill  in    ^esn-Sir$stf 


em^m^mi^m^^mm 


To  the  Chriftian,  the  Truly-Pro- 
teftant,  and  very  Loyal  Socie- 
ty,   who     attend    the   public 
Worfhip   in  the  Westerly  Part  of 
Bofton, 

This  Discourse,  published  at 
their  Delirc  fignified  by  their  Commit- 
tee^  is  now  gratefully  inscribed,  with 
the  fincereft  Wiflies  for  their  tempo- 
ral and  fpirltual  Welfare,and  with  due 
Acknowledgments  of  the  many  Ob- 
ligations   by  them  laid  vipon 

The  Author. 


God  ruleth   in    the   Kingdom 

of    Men, 


DANIEL    IV.    ]8. 

T/je   mofl  High    ruleth 

Kingdoin   of  Men-^ 


t?i 


the 


HE  prefcnt  iinufLial  and  gloomy  appearance 
of  the  place  ^  in  which  I  now  (land,  may 
fecm  the  natural  prefage  of  a  difcoiirfe  re- 
plete with  gloomy  ideas,  with  lamentation 
and  mourning.  But  yet  m.ethinks  this  is  a  reafon 
adapted  to  awaken  various,  and  even  contrary  pafTions 
in  onr  breads;  a  Tea fon  wherein  we  almofl:  unavoida- 
bly mingle  fome  of  the  tears  o'i  joy  with  thofe  of 
forrow  ;  and  wherein  wholly  to  indulge,  or  wholly  to 
reprefs  either  of  them,  would  hardly  be  innocent  ; 
at  leaft:  not  very  congruous.  On  one  b.and  we  juftly 
mourn  the  death  of  an  excellent  king,  uhom  every 
good  Britifli  fubje<S}:  was  habituated  to  confider  rather 
under  the  amiable  and  endearing  character  of  afither, 
than  the  more  awful  one  of  a  fovereign.  And  where  is 
the  heart  fo  hard,  fo  unfeeling,  fo  devoid  of  all 
fentiment,  as  to  remain  untouched,  unaffecled,  at  the 
death  of  fuch  a  king,  the  common  fatlfbr  of  his  peo- 
ple ?  What  bofom  does  not  heave  ?  What  eye  is  not 
ready  to  overflov/,  on  fo  melancholy  aji  occadon  '^^ 

BuTi 

*  la  aHuHgn  to  the  palpit  hurg  ^Iib  ropurnin^  on  this  ocpijon,. 


8     God  ruleth  in  the  Kingdom  of  Men^ 

But,  on  the  other  hatid,  have  we  not  caufe  for 
gratitude,  that  heaven  fpared  him  to  us  fo  long  ? 
and  for  joy*  that  his  royal  grandfbn  and  fucceflbr  is 
peaceably  afcended  the  throne  ?  And  this  at  fuch  a 
mature  age,  and  adorned  with  fo  many  royal  quali- 
ties, as  give  us  the  reafonable  profpedl  of  fitting 
under  his  ihadow  with  great  delight ;  and,  in  a  Word, 
of  enjoying  under  his  reign  the  continuance  6f  all 
thofe  numerous  blelFrngs,  which  we  fo  long  enjoyed 
under  the  aufpicious  reign  of  his  late  majefty.  The 
fame  object  has  often  both  a  bright  and  a  dark  fide  ; 
and,  by  being  turned  round,  gives  relief,  or  even 
pleafure,  to  the  pained  eye  of  the  fpe£lator.  As  our 
felicity  is  never  pure  and  unallayed  in  this  evil 
world  ;  (b  neither  is  our  forrow  ever,  or  hardly  ever, 
unmixed ;  but  ufually  attended  with  fome  circum- 
^ances,  which,  being  duly  confidcred,  may  adminifter 
comfort  to  us.  This  is  our  pefent  cafe  :  That  fb- 
vereign  hand  which  gave  the  wound  to  our  hearts  by 
the  death  of  his  late  majefty,  has  almoft  healed  it  the 
lame  hour,  and  turned  our  mourning  into  joy  ;  or 
if  not  into  joy,  has  at  leaft  miniflred  the  beft  con- 
solation that  the  nature  of  the  cafe  would  admit  of. 
For  the  lofs  of  a  good  king  cannot  be  any  way  fb 
effectually  made  up,  or  remedied,  as  by  another,  wor- 
thy to  fucceed  him,  reigning  in  his  ftead  -y  efpecially 
one  de (bended,  from  him,  and  in  whom  he  may  be 
coniidered  as,  in  fome  fort,  ftill  living  and  reigning. 
Such  is  the  confolation  that  gracious  heaven  afford-s 
TO  us,  and  to  three  kingdoms,  at  this  feafon  of  out 
common  mourning.  And  both  rea (bn  and  religion 
as  much  require  that  we  gracefully  receive  the  con- 
folation ofFer(?d,  as  that  we  humbly  lay  to  heart 
that  event   of   pi'ovidence,  by    which  we  camc  to 


need  ic. 


It 


God  ruleth  in  the  Kingdom  of  Men.     g 

It  becomes  us  as  men,  and  efpecially  as  chrifti- 
ans,  on  this  occafion  to  look  up  to  the  fovereign 
ruler  of  the  univerfe,  who  "  rcmoveth  kings  and 
fetteth  up  kings",  as  feemeth  good  in  his  fight.  Him 
we  are  to  condder  as  the  author  of  thofe  revoltiiions, 
and  other  great  changes,  which  take  place  from  age 
to  age  in  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  ;  and  fhould 
make  a  religious  improvement  of  the  prefent  difpen- 
fations  of  his  providence  towards  us.  It  is  with  a 
view  at  afTifting  you  in  fo  important  a  duty,  that  I 
have  chofen  the  words  jufl:  now  read,  for  the  fnbjeft 
of  my  difcourfe  at  this  time — '*  The  niofl:  High 
ruleth  in  the  kingdom  of  men."  The  words  occur 
three  feveral  times  in  this  fourth  chapter  of  Daniel ; 
which  confifts  of  a  manifedo,  or  folemn  declaration, 
which  Nebuchadnezzar  the  great  king  of  Babylon 
publifh^d  *'  to  all  people,  nations  and  languages"; 
and  which  the  prophet,  for  the  honor  of  God's  name, 
thought  proper,  it  feems,  to  preferve  intire  with 
his  own  writings,  to  be  tranfmitted  to  future  gene- 
rations. Nebuchadnezzar  is  fpoken  of  in  fcripture 
as  one  of  the  greateft  monarchs  that  ever  lived  in 
the  world.  *'  Thou,  O  king",  faid  Daniel  to  him, 
*^  art  a  king  of  kings ;  for  the  God  of  heaven  hath 
given  thee  a  kingdom,  pov/er,  and  ftrength  and  glo^y. 
And  wherefoever  the  children  of  men  dwell,  the 
beads  of  the  field,  and  the  fowls  of  heaven  hath 
he  delivered  into  thy  hand  f".  Prophane  hiftory 
fpeaks  of  him  conformably  to  this  account  ||.     He 

B  was 

f  Chap.  n.  ver.  37,  98. 

jj  He  is  faid  to  have  held  in  fabjeflion  Syria,  Phcnicla,  Arabia 
and  Egypt.  "  Strabo  Hkewife  afTerts  that  this  king  among 
the  Chaldeans  was  more  celebrated  than  Hetcu!es,  and 
that  he  proceeded  as  far  as  the  pillars  of  Hercules  [near 
the  freights  of  GiHralter]  and  led  his  army  out  of  Spain 
into  Thrace  and  Pontus."  Vid.  Dr.  Newton's  Xlilth 
D:j£rtation  in  Pr&phcsy, 


10  God  ruleth  in  the  Kingdom  of  Men.  | 

Was  as  proud  and  impious  as  he  was  great.  And  God 
feems  to  have  rai fed  him  np  as  he  did  Pharaoh,  that 
he  might  '*  fhew  his  power  in  him,  and  that  his  name 
might  be  declared  throughout  all  the  earth".  It 
feems  that  he  was  for  a  time  much  alarmed,  and 
even  convinced,  by  the  miraculous  deliverance  of  the 
three  pious  Jews  from  the  fiery  furnace^  whom  he 
had  ordered  to  be  caft  into  it  for  not  woriliipping 
the  golden  image  which  he  had  fct  up  ;  and  he  made 
a  decree,  that  no  one  fhould  fpeak  againft  the  God 
whom  thefe  men  worlhipped.^  But  his  heart,  Jike 
Pharaoh's,  rcfumed  its  former  bardnefs  ;  and  was  [o 
lifted  up  with  pride,  that  God  refolved  to  humble 
him  in  a  very  fignal  manner.  And  the  main  defign 
of  his  manifedo,  contained  in  this  IVth  Chapter  of 
Daniel,  is  to  declare  to  all  the  world  the  wonderful 
means  by  which  God  did  this ;  by  which  he  con- 
vinced him  of  his  fupremc  dominion,  his  power  and 
providence,and  the  wifdora  and  juflice  of  all  his  deal- 
ings with  the  children  of  men.  So  that  this  may  be 
called  the  proclamation  whereby  that  mighty,  and 
once  impious  monarch,  recognized  God's  univerfal 
dominion,  as  the  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords, 
'^  1  thought  it  good'V'  %s  he,  *'  to  fhew  the  figns 
and  vt'onders  that  the  liigh  God  hath  wrought  towards 
me.  For  how  great  are  his  figns  .^  and  how  mighty 
are  his  wonders  ?  His  kingdom  is  an  everlafting  king- 
dom", &G.  He  then  proceeds  particularly  to  relate 
what  had  happened  to  him  ;  the  aftonifhing  figns  by 
which  God  humbled  his  proud  heart,  and  made  him 
confefs,  that  he  indeed  '•  rwleth  in  the  kingdom  of 
men^  and  giveth  it  to  whomfoever  he  will."  What 
thefe  figns  and  wonders  were,  I  nov^  forbear  particu- 
larly to  mention,  lefl  my  difcourfe  fliould  be  drawn 
out  to  too  great  a  length.     But  in  general^  he  had 

*  Dan.  C.  III.  V.  29. 


God  ruhth  in  the  Kingdom  of  Men.   1 1 

a  remarkable  dream,  or  vifion,  wherein,  under  the 
fimilitude  of  cutting  down  a  mighty  tree,  was^ accords 
Ing  to  the  prophet's  interpretation,  prefigured  his 
ocvn  fall  from  his  greatnefs,  and  his  being  driven 
from  men.  And  when  the  king  fald,  "  Is  not  this 
great  Babylon  that  I  have  built  for  the  houfe  of 
the  kingdom,  by  the  might  of  my  power,  and  for 
the  honor  of  my  majefty  ?  While  the  word  was  in 
the  kings  mouth,  there  fell  a  voice  from  heaven, 
faying,  O  king  Nebuchadnezzar,  to  thee  it  is  fpoken. 
The  kingdom  is  departed  from  thee,"  ^c.  And 
"  the  fame  hour  was  the  thing  fulfilled  upon  Ne- 
buchadnezzar.*' Of  which  event  we  find  the  prophet 
afterwards  giving  the   following   account  to  his  foil 

Beliliaz.zar "  All  people,  nations  and  languages 

trembled  and  feared  before  him  ;  whom  he  would 
he  flew,  3nd  whom  he  would  he  kept  alive,  and  whom 
he  would  he  fet  up,  and  whom  he  would  he  put  down. 
But  when  his  heart  was  lifted  up,  and  his  mind  har- 
dened in  pride,  he  was  depofed  from  his  kingly 
throne,  and  they  took  his  glory  from  him  :  And  he 
was  driven  from  the  fons  of  men — till  he  knew  that 
the  moft  high  God  ruled  in  the  kingdom  of  men,  and 
that  he  appointeth  over  it  whomfoever  he  will  -[-." 

Thus  wonderfully  was  this  great  king  brought 
down,  till  at  the  end  of  the  days  appointed,  he  lift 
up  his  eyes  to  heaven,  and  his  underflanding  re- 
turned unto  him.  And  he  concludes  his  proclamation 
in  the  flrong  and  emphatical  terms  following,  which 
difcover  an  heart  very  deeply  imprefl  with  what  had 
befallen  him  for  his  former  pride^tyranny  and  impiety 
— ''  Now  I  Nebuchadnezzar",  fays  he,  "  praife,  and 
extol,  and  honor  the  king  of  heaven,  all  whofo  works 
are  truth,  and  liis  ways  judgment  ;  and  thole  that 
walk  in  pride  he  is  able  to  abafe".  By"!: 

I  Chap.  V.  ver.    19,  20,  2;. 


1 2  God  ruleth  in  the  Kingdom  of  Men. 

But  to  return ;  The  words  of  the  text  may  be 
cohfidered  as  an  intire,  independent  rentence,tho'  they 
indeed  make  but  a  part  of  one,  as  they  (land  in  the 
fever  al  places  where  they  occur  in  this  chapter.  In 
this  light  it  is  propofed  to  conHder  them  ;  and  they 
will,  I  fuppofe,  be  a  proper  introduction  to  fome 
reflexions  on  the  prefent  occafion,  as  they  aflert  God's 
fupreme  dominion  in  and  over  the  kingdoms  of  men. 

For  the  illuftration  of  this  fubje^l,  it  is  to  be  ob^- 
fervcd  firft  in  general, 

I.  That  all  nations,  all  kingdoms,  are  in  the  hand 
of  God,  who  has  an  original  right,  and  abfolute  pow- 
er over  them.  He  hath  made  of  one  blood  all  na^ 
tions  for  to  dwell  upon  the  face  of  the  earth  ;  and 
has  the  intire  difpofal  of  theiia.  The  abfolute  fove^ 
reignty  of  God  over  all  nations,  is  reprefented  in  very 
llrong  and  fublime  language  by  Nebuchadnezzar  in 
this  chapter,  after  his  reafon  returned  to  him.  "  His 
kingdom"^faith  he,  "  is  from  generation  to  generation  : 
And  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  are  reputed  as 
nothing  ;  and  he  doeth  according  to  his  will  in  the  ar- 
my of  heaven,and  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  : 
and  none  can  ftay  his  hand,  or  fay  unto  him,  What 
doefl  thou  ?"  The  prophet  Ifaiah  expredeth  himfelf 
upon  this  fubje^l  in  language  not  lefs  emphatical. 
"  Behold,  the  nations  are  as  a  drop  of  the  bucket ', 
faith  he,  "  and  are  counted  as  the  (luall  duft  of  the 
balance  :  behold, he  taketh  up  the  iilesas  a  very  little 
thing  —  all  nations  before  him  are  as  nothing,  and 
they  are  counted  to  him  as  lefs  than  nothing  and  va^ 
nity'*.  And  a  little  after  in  the  fame  chapter — "  It 
is  he  that  fiiteth  upon  the  circle  of  the  earth,  and 
the  inhabitants  thereof  are  as  grafshoppers  ;  that 
flretcherh  out  the  heavens  as  a  curtain,  and  fpread- 

eth 


God  rtileth  in  th^  Kingdom  of  Men.   1 3 

€th  them  out  as  a  tent  to  dwell  in  ;  that  bringeth  the 
princes  to  nothing  :  He  maketh  the  judges  of  the 
earth  as  vanity".  [Chap.  XL.] 

Now,  God's  ruling  in  the  kingdom  of  men,  ex- 
prefleth  in  general  that  fupreme  power,  that  uncon- 
trouiable  dominion,  which  he  exercifeth  over  all  na- 
tions from  one  generation  to  another  :  Not  only  his 
right  and  power,  but  his  aflual  government  over  them. 
For  his  ruling  in  the  kingdom  of  men,  implies  his 
continual  agency  and  providence  therein,  and  his 
reigning  over  them  as  a  fovcreign  Lord  ;  not  merely 
his  power  and  authority  to  do  fo.  And  accordingly, 
whatever  befals  dates  and  kingdoms ;  their  rife,  en- 
largement and  prolperity,  iheir  fall,  their  declenfion, 
and  the  various  calamities  that  happen  to  them,  are  in 
fcripture  attributed  to  God's  over-ruling  providence, 
as  the  accomplilliment  of  his  fovereign  pleafure  con- 
cerning them.  And  that  thefe  things  are  juftly  af- 
cribed  to  him,  is  evident  from  many  confiderations  ; 
particularly  from  his  having  enabled  his  prophets  to 
roretel,  many  ages  before-hand,  the  changes  and  re- 
volutions which  fhould  take  place  among  the  nations 
of  the  earth  :  Which  predi(Sl:ions  have  been  punctu- 
ally verified  by  the  event. 

Thus  the  ancient  prophecies  refpeCling  the  Jews, 
the  Egyptians,  the  Babylonians,  the  Ninevites,  the 
Tyrians,  and  many  other  nations,  have  long  fince  had 
a  mod  exaft  and  furprillng  accomplilhment  ;  as  any 
one,  acquainted  with  the  prophecies,  and  with  what 
has  fince  actually  befallen  thofe  nations,  mu(t  ac- 
knowledge j.  And  in  this  book  of  Daniel's  prophe- 
cies, 

\  Many  of  thefe  predidions,  together  with  their  refpeifli'-e  ac- 
complidiments,  are  Tct  in  a  clear  and  flronj  light  in  the  Rev. 
and  very  learned  Dr. Newton 'sDiffertations  on  prophecy,  Vol.1. 


14  God  rukth  In  the  Kingdom  of  Men. 

des^  was  foretold,   v/ith  an  afionifliing  precifion,  tbo' 
IB  figurative  language, what  iliould  come  to  pafs  in  the 
four  great  fuccefnve  monarchies,   or  empires  of  the 
worlsi  ;  the  Aifyrian  or  Babylonian,  the  McJo-Perfian, 
tbe  Macedonian  and  the  Roman  ;  in,   or  during,   the 
latter  of  which,  the  God  of  heaven  v^'as  to  fct  up  a 
kingdom  of  a  peculiar  kind,  which  fliould  never  have 
sn<  end,  or  be  left  to  other  people  :  '*  And  the  king- 
ionir  and  the   dominion,    and  the  greatnefs   of  the 
kingdom  under  rhe  vihole  heaven,  fhall  [at  length] 
be  given   to   the   people  of  the  faints  of  the  moit 
High,  whofe   kingdom    is   an  cverlafling  kingdom  ; 
snd  all  dominions  iliall  ferve  and  obey  him""^.     Nor 
h  the  prefent  ftate  of  the  Jews,    or   indeed  the  ge- 
i?eral  flate  of  the  chriflian  world  at  this  day,    any 
thing  lefs  than  a  demonllration  of  the  truth  of  pro- 
phecy :  which  is,  at  the  fame  time,  a  kind  of  vifible 
S^emondration  of  the  truth  and  reality  of  God's  rul- 
ing in  the  kingdom  of  men.     For,  certainly  none  but 
lie,  who  hath  the  fates  and  fortunes  of  all  nations  ia 
Ms  own  hand,  and  the  mod  abfolute  difpofal  of  them, 
could  poffibly  enable  men  fo  particularly  and  exa(^ly 
to   foretel  what  iliould  bcfal   them    in  remote  ages, 
ss  the  prophets  have  adlually  done.     And  the  accom- 
plifliment  of  (b  many  prophecies  already,  as  it  is  an 
undeniable  proof  that  the  world   is  governed  by  di- 
V\nt  providence,  fo  it  gives  us  an  alTurance,  that  thofe 
predictions  in  thefe  facrcd  books,   which  dill  remain 
unfulfilled,   fliall   alfb  have  their  accornplifhmcnt   at 
the  appointed  time  ;    when  "  the   mydery    of  God 
IFiall  be  finilhed,  as  he  hath  declared  to  his  fervants 
ihe  prophets".  But, 

11.  God's  ruling  in  the   kingdom   of  men,   mny 

.  e^'p'refs  moce  particularly  and  directly  that  authority 

and  fovercign  power,  which  he   exercifeth  from  age 

^a 

*  Chap.  Vil,  vcr.   27. 


God  ruleth  171  the  Ktngdvm  of  Men.  i| 

to  nge  over  the  kings  and  potentates  of  the  earth  ; 
and  which  truly  denominate  hirn  the  King  of  icings 
and  Lord  of  lords.  That  being  may  well  be  laid 
to  rule  in  the  kingdom  of  men,  on  whom  all  earthly 
kings  are  entirely  dependent  ;  who  raifeth  one  to  a 
throne,andcafteth  down  another;  who  gives  to  all  kings 
their  authority,  and  limits  them  in  the  exercife  thcre^ 
of  ;  who  gives  them  whatever  qualifications  they  hav« 
for  ruling  ;  who  alio  gives  to  their  lives  and  reigns, 
either  a  morter  or  longer  term,  as  he  pleafeth  ;  w4>o 
makes  their  reign  either  a  bleiling  to  the  kingdoms 
which  they  govern,  or  the  contrary  ;  and  who  will 
finally  judge  even  them  in  righteoufnefs.  With  the 
greaieit  truth  and  propriety  may  he  be  faid  to  rule  and 
govern  in  the  kingdom  of  men,  who  cxercifeth  fucli 
a  dominion  over  the  monarchs  of  the  world.  And  to 
enlarge  a  little  here  cannot,  I  fuppofe,  be  thougl^ 
improper  on  the  prefent  occafion. 

I.  God  ruleth  in  the  kingdom  of  men,  as  all 
.earthly  kings  derive  their  power  and  authority  ori- 
ginally from  him  ;  or  as  they  reign  by  his  permiflloa 
and  providence,  and  as  his  miniftcrs.  This  is  in 
etfe<5l  afferted  in  the  words  immediately  following  the 
text — ''  and  giveth  it"  [i.e.  the  kingdom]  ^'  to 
whomfoever  he  will",  in  the  exercife  of  that  fov€- 
reign  dominion  which  he  hath  over  all.  In  confor- 
mity whereto,  the  prophet  addrcileth  himfclf  thus  to 
Bellhazzar,  the  fon  and  fuccclTor  of  Nebuclmdnezzar- 
*'  O  thou  king,  the  moft  high  God  ga\'e  Nebuch- 
adnezzar thy  father  a  kingdom, and  majc(iy,and  gloty, 
and  honor  |.'*  And  the  apoUle  Paul  nilerts  in  a  more 
general  way,  and  without  any  exception,  tliat  *'  there 
is  no  power  but  of  God";  that  *'  the  powers  tliat  be 
are  ordained  of  God";  and  that  kings,  and  indeed 
other  inferior  rulers,  are  **  God's  minlflers",  ap- 
pointed 

t  Chap.  V.    ?er.   i8. 


1 6.  God  ruleth  in  the  Kingdom  of  Men* 

pointed  to  govern  the  world  under  him,  the  Lord  of 
all ;  and  to  carry  on  the  defigns  of  his  providence 
therein.  So  that  human  government,  being  duly  ad- 
miniftred,  is  in  efre6l  the  government  of  God.  For 
which  reafon  we  are  admonifhed  to  be  fubjeft  *'  to 
every  ordinance  of  man  for  the  Lord's  fake,  whether 
it  be  to  the  king  as  fupreme,  or  unto  governors  as 
unto  them  that  are  fent  by  him  for  the  punifliment  of 
evil-doers,  and  for  the  praife  of  them  that  do  well  "^Z* 

God  does  not  indeed,  by  any  immediate  acl  of  his 
own,  place  a  crown  upon  the  head,  and  put  a  fcep- 
ter  in  the  hand  of  him,  whom  he  has  ordained  to 
reign,  and  feat  him  upon  a  royal  throne.  He  leaves 
nations  (ordinarily,  I  mean)  to  the  free  exercife  of 
their  liberty  and  difcretion,  under  the  general  law  of 
reafon,  to  chufe  their  own  forms  of  government,  and 
to  model  them  as  bed  fuits  them  refpedlively.  Some 
nations  neither  have,  nor  are  required  to  have,  any 
kings  at  all.  Some  crowns  are,  properly  fpeaking, 
eledlive,  by  the  fundamental  laws  of  the  kingdom. 
In  other  kingdoms  the  crown  is  hereditary,  either  with 
certain  limitations  and  exceptions,  or  without  any, 
according  to  the  various  conftiiutions  of  different  king- 
doms ;  which  conftitutions  themfelves  are  not,however, 
abfolutely  immutable.  In  all  which  refpe^ls  it  may 
truly  be  faid,  that  nations  are  left  to  the  exercife  of 
their  natural  difcretion  and  liberty.  But  ftill  religion, 
and  even  reafon,  teaches  us  to  acknowledge  the  hand 
and  providence  of  God  in  the  exaltation  of  any  par- 
ticular perfon  to  a  throne.  In  ele(51ive  kingdoms  the 
thoughts  and  counfels  of  the  ele(ftors  are,  tho'  imper- 
ceptibly, fo  over-ruled,  that  the  choice  falls  at  laft 
upon  him,  whom  God  had  ordained  to  reign  ;  and 
thus,  without  knowing  his   purpofe,   they  fulfil    his 

fovereign 
*  I  Pet.  II.   13,  14. 


God  ruleth  in  the  Kingdom  of  Men,   1 7 

fovereign  pleafure.  And  where  the  crown  is  here- 
ditary according  to  the  conftitiuion,  God  in  his  pro- 
vidence often  interrupts  and  defeats  the  fuccelfjon, 
either  by  the  death  of  the  prefiimptive  heir,  or  by 
other  means  ;  and  fometimes  the  crown  devolves 
at  lad  to  one,  fo  remote  from  it  by  blood,  that  ho 
was  very  unlikely  ever  to  wear  it,  according  to  hu- 
man rules  of  judging  ;  or  it  is  perhaps  transferred  to 
another  race.  Thefe  things- are  common,  and  well 
known  ;  by  which  God  (liews  his  own  fovereignty 
in  the  kingdom  of  men,  and  makes  it  manifeft  that 
he  *'  gives  it  to  whomfoever  he  wiir\ 

2.  God  ruleth  in  the  kingdom  of  men,  as  all 
earthly  kings  derive  from  him  whatever  qualifications 
and  abilities  they  have  for  reigning,  as  well  as  their 
authority.  How  great  ?  how  important,  is  the  differ^ 
ence  between  a  wife  and  good,  and  a  weak  and  bad 
king  I  The  welfare  of  nations,  under  God,  depends 
very  much  upon  the  talents  and  character  of  the 
kings,  whom  he  exalteth  to  reign  over  them.  Nor 
is  it  lefs  evident  that  he  beftows  the  various  gifts  and 
talents  by  which  kings  are  diftinguifhed  from  one 
another,  than  it  is  that  they  reign  by  his  permiffion, 
and  providential  ordination.  Wifdom,  magnanimity, 
and  other  royal  qualities,  are  the  gift  of  God  ;  of 
which  none  are  poiTclled  in  any  greater  degree,  than 
he  faw  fit  to  beflow  them,  in  order  to  accomplifli  his 
own  wife  and  holy  purpofes.  And  from  fome  thefe 
qualities  are  withheld,  with  the  fame  general  defign. 
For,  according  to  the  holy  fcriptures, important  events 
are  brought  about  in  nations,  and  in  the  Hate  of  the 
world,  as  well  by  the  folly  and  infatuation  of  fome 
kings,  as  by  the  wifdom  of  others  ;  all  in  conformity 
to  the  will  and  purpofes  of  heaven.  And  this  is  one 
way,  in  which  God  manifefls  his  own  fovereignty  in 
the  kingdom  of  men,  C  3.  God 


i8  GcD  ruleth  in  the  Kingdom  of  Men. 

3.  God  nileth  in  the  kingdom  of  men,  by  fud- 
-tending  the  adminiftration  of  kings,  and  by  making 
them  great  public  blefTings,  or  the  contrary,  according 
to  his  own  pleafure.  Moft  commonly  indeed, 
wile  and  good  kings  reign  fuccefsfully,  whik  weak 
and  wicked  ones  prove  rather  a  curfe  than  a  bleffing. 
This  is  not,  however,  univerfally  the  cafe.  It  is  ob- 
vious that  the  fiiccefs  or  profperity  of  an  ad minifi ra- 
tion, docs  not  folely  depend  upon,  nor  is  always  in 
cxa6l  proportion  to,  the  wifdom,  juftice,  fortitude,  and 
other  princely  virtues  of  him  that  fits  upon  the  throne. 
The  views  and  endeavours  of  the  befl:  kings  are  fome- 
times  fruRrated  ;  while  thofe  of  far  inferior  ones  are 
crowned  with  fucccfs,  both  in  peace  and  war.  It  is 
<jod  that  giveth  falvation  unto  kings,  and  thereby  to 
kingdoms  :  He  it  is,  that  bringcth  them  down.  And 
both  the(e  he  does,in  fuch  v/ays,  and  by  fuch  means, 
as  plainly  evince  his  fovereignty  in  the  kingdom  of 
men  ;  and  fhew  to  kings  and  kingdoms  at  once,  their 
abfolute  dependence  upon  him  for  profperity.  How 
many  great  and  common  calamities  are  there,  whicli 
befal  nations  from  time  to  time,  that  the  vvifeft  and 
imoft  powerful  monarchs  can  neither  prevent  nor  re- 
move ?  And  how  many  public  blefTings  are  there, 
which  kings  have  little,  or  perhaps  no  hand  at  all,  in 
procuring  I  Riches,  and  honor,  and  power,  and  all 
rjational  blefFings,  mufl  be  acknowledged  to  come  ori- 
ginally from  God,  fbmetimes  by  the  inflrumentality 
ofkings,and  fometimics  without  it ;  and  in  his  '^  hand 
it   is  to  make  great,  and  to  give  llrength  unto  all". 

4.  God  ruleth  in  the  kingdom  of  men,  as  he  gives 
to  the  reign  of  earthly  kings  either  a  fliorcer  or  longer 
term,  as  feemeih  good  in  his  fight.  Mighty  monarchs 
are  fometimes  "  depofed  from  their  kingly  thrones" 
for  their   fins,  as  Nebuchadnezzar  was*.     When   his 

mind 


God  ruhth  ifi  the  Kingdom  of  Men.    r  g 

mind  was  hardened  in  pride,  it  was  faid  unto  him, 
''  The  kingdom  is  departed  from  thee";  and  inftantly, 
his  glory  was  taken  away,  and  he  was  *'  drivea 
from  men*'.  Belfliazzar  his  fon  did  not  profit  by  his 
example  ;  and  therefore  met  with  a  (lill  more  fatal 
overthrow.  No  fooner  had  the  hand  upon  the  wall 
written  his  doom,  and  Daniel  interpreted  it, — ''  God 
hath  numbered  thy  kingdom,  and  finifhed  it",  &c, 
than  he  was  flain  ;  "  and  Darius  the  Median  took 
the  kingdom".  How  many  other  proud,  arbitrary 
and  tyrannical  princes,  who  have  thought  thcmfelves 
above  all  controul,  have  fuddenly  been  brought  down 
to  the  dull:  ?  either  expelled  their  kingdoms,  or  come 
to  an  untimely  end,  and  left  their  thrones  to  others  ? 
Nor  is  the  fovcreignty  of  Qo\  in  the  kingdom  of  men, 
lefs  manifeded  in  depriving  earthly  kings  of  their 
power  and  dominion,  than  in  conferring  ihem  at  firfh 
In  the  language  of  the  royal  pfalmift,  "  Promotion 
Cometh  neither  from  the  ea(l,  nor  from  the  welh  nor 
from  the  fouth.  But  God  is  the  judge  :  he  putteth 
down  one,  and  fetteth  up  another  |." 

Besides  :  It  is  appointed  unto  all  men,  and  no  lefi 
to  kings,  even  great  and  good  kings,  than  others,  once 
to  die  ;  and  to  give  an  account  of  themfelves  to  God. 
Their  greatnefs  exempts  them  neither  from  the  com- 
mon mortality,  nor  from  the  righteous  judgment  of 
God,  in  v^.hofe  band  their  breath  is.  From  fome 
the  great  arbiter  of  life  and  death,  foon  taketh  away 
their  breath,  even  in  early  youth  ;  fo  that  they  hardly 
know  what  it  is  to  wear  a  crown,  before  they  are 
commanded  lo  refign  it  ;  and  called  to  appear  before 
the  high  tribunal  of  hira  that  ''  regardeth  not  the 
per  Tons  of  princes".  Other  kings  :;re  taken  away 
in  the  midft  of  their  years ;  and  all  their  devices,  pro- 

C  2  je£lions^ 

f  Pfalm  LXXV.  6,  7. 


2  0  God  ruleth  in  the  Kingdom  oj  M^n. 

j.cflions  and  dcfigns,  whether  good  or  bad,  are  at  once 
brought  to  liCiriUig  ;  fometimes  to  the  joy,  and  fome- 
times  to  the  forrow  of  their  fubjects  \  and  not  only  of 
their  own  flibje'cls,  but  of  other  nations.  To  other 
kings  God  is  pleafcd  to  grant  length  of  days,  and  a 
reign  of  many  years ;  fo  that  they  are  fatisfied  with 
life,  ';nd  fee  many  happy  effeds  c/  their  reign,  be- 
fore their  days  are  numbered  and  finilhed .  Now,  God 
nsanifelleth  his  fovereignty  over  the  kings  and  poten- 
tates of  the  earth,  by  cutting  fnort,  or  protracting  their 
life  and  reign,  in  this  manner:  i\nd  hereby,  in  part, 
it  appears,  that  he  indeed  ruleth  in  the  kingdom  of 
men. 

It  may,  not  improperly,  be  added    here,    that  a 
great  deal  depends  upon  the  time,  and  particular  cir- 
cumfiances,  wherein  kings  iire  taken  out  of  this  world. 
There  are,  with  refpe^l   to  their  fubjefts  at  Icail,   I 
might  fiy  with  refpecl  to  them.felves   alfo,  both  fa- 
vourable and  unfavourable    conjmifiures  for  them  to 
die  in.     As  the  cafe  may  be  circumllanced,  the  death 
of  a  king,  tho'  of  no    very  eminent  qualities  and  ver- 
tues,  may  be  of  fatal  confequence  to  a  kingdom :  As, 
for  examplcj  when  the   fuccefllon   is  left  doubtful, 
different  perfons  laying  claim  to  it,  and  each  of  them 
fupported  by  powerful   factions.     In  this  cafe,  how 
often  have  nations  been  thrown  into  confufion,  and 
involved  in  all  the  calamities   of  a  civil   war :   Or, 
tho'  the  fucccfTion  is  uncontroverted,  yet  if  the  heir 
be  not  arrived  at  cin  age  proper  for  governing  a  king- 
dom, the  death  of  a  king  in   thefe  circumflances  is  a 
great  calamity  :   For    "  Wo  to  thee,  O  Land,"   fays 
Solomon,   '*  when  thy  kina^  is   a  cliild."     God  fome- 
V.\w:'5>  ch'il; ;;.:.:h.    r.ations    by   renioving  their  kings  at 
iisch  Lii-jfivourfible    conv   -   '-e^  ^i-  thcfe,   and  others 
tlijr  nJa.ht  eafilv  ■  .  d  tho'  the  death 

-"        ■  of 


God  ruleth  in  the  Kingdom  of  Men.  21 

of  good  kings  will  always  be  (inccrely  lamented  by 
good  and  dutiful  fubje£ls  ;  yet  it  mult  be  owned  that, 
in  certain  circumflances,  the  death  evcnot  fiich  kings 
can  hardly  be  looked  upon  as  a  frown  of  divine  pro- 
vidence, in  any  other  fenfe  than  that,  in  which  the 
common  mortality  of  mankind  is  fo.  As,  for  exam- 
ple, if  they  die  when  they  are  far  advanced  in  years; 
when  they  are  almolt  pait  bearing  the  weight  of  go- 
vernment; when  their  kingdoms  are  in  flourifliing 
circumflances;  when  the  fuccefion  is  undifputed;  or 
there  are  no  parties  or  factions  powerful  enough  to 
create  public  troubles  and  commotions  ;  when  the  fuc- 
cedor  is  of  mature  age  for  wielding  a  fceptre,  and  is 
endowed  with  fuch  princely  virtues,  as  naturally  in- 
fpire  the  hopes  of  great  happinefs  under  his  reign  : 
When  all  thefe  circumliances  take  place,  they  great- 
ly alleviate  that  forrow  wdiich  all  good  fubjecls  mud 
in  fome  degree  feel,  on  the  death  of  a  good  king. 
And  God's  foyereignty  in  the  kingdoms  of  men  plain- 
ly appears  by  the  particular  time  and  conjunfture, 
wherein  he  removeth  kings  out  of  this  world  :  For, 
that  thefe  circumllances,  whether  favourable  or  other- 
wife,  together  with  the  duration  of  each  monarch's 
life,  and  the  length  of  his  reign,  are  all  fixed,  all  de- 
termined by  the  mod  High,  no  man  who  believes  a 
providence,  can  confidently  doubt. 

Upon   the    whole  (for  I  mud  not  enlaj-ge)  :    God 
does  not  only  iliew  himfelf  fovereicrn  in  the  kin<:^doin 

en 

of  men,  by  the  perfons  whom  he  exalteth  to  earthly 
ti^*;ones,  by  the  various  qualifications  which  he  be- 
ftows  upon  them,  by  profpering  or  not  profpering 
their  reign,  by  fornetimes  caiting  them  down  from 
their  thrones  before  their  lives  are  come  to  a  period, 
and  by  the  particular  time  and  circiim dances  wherein 
they  are  refpeclively  taken  out  of  this  woi  Id  by  death  : 

He 


2  2  God  ruleih  in  the  Kingdom  of  Men^ 

He  docs  not  hereby  only  Ihew  his  fovereign  pow- 
€f  in  ai)d  over  the  kingdom  of  men,  but  he  aifo 
manifeus  hereby  his  favor  and  gcodnefs  towards  na- 
tions, or  his  righteous  difpleafurc.  He  execureth 
loving-kindnefs,  judgment  and  righteoufnefs  in  the 
earth,  by  the  difpenlations  of  his  providence  towards 
kings  and  kingdoms.  The  welfare  of  nations  im-. 
mediately  depends,  in  a  great  meafure,^upon  the  kings 
whom  God  piaceth  over  them.  It  is  faid  of  Ifi-ael, 
with  reference  to  Saul,  that  God  ^'  gave  them  a  king 
ill  his  anger.'*  After  a  while,  he  brought  about  a 
Ti^^oiution  in  that  kingdom,  and  gave  them  David  in 
Ms  kindnefo,  a  man  after  his  own  heart,  vv'ho  was  a 
great  blelTing  to  the  nation.  And  v.'hen  David  died 
in  a  good  oki  age,  after  a  profperous  reign,  and  when 
he  had  in  a  manner  fubdued  ail  their  enemies,  his  fon 
Solomon  fuccecdcd  liim  in  the  throne,  whom  the 
s^ueen  of  Sheba  aJdreilcd  in  the  equally  pious  and 
courtly  terms  following  :  ^*  BleiTed  be  the  Lord  thy 
*'  God  v.hich  delighted  in  thee  to  fet  thee  upon  hi<; 
**'  throne,  to  be  king  for  the  Lord  thy  God.  Becaufe 
**  thy  God  loved  Ifrael,  to  edablifh  them  foraver, 
**  theref.TC  m-ide  he  thee  king  over  thein  to  do 
**  judgment   and  jufiice." 

It  being  evident  then,  from  what  has  been  faid, that 
God  ruleih  in  the  kingdom  of  men;giving  it  to  whom- 
£}€yer  he  will  ;  and  ah'o,  that  his  favor  and  righteous 
'Jifpleailire  arci-  manif.dcd  towards  diflerent  nations, or 
towards  the  fame  nations  at  dillerent  timc.^,  by  the 
'*•  manner  of  the  kings  ihat  reign  over  them",  and  by 
the  time  and  circumirances  of  their  removal  out  of 
this  v/orld  :  Theie  things  being  evident.  I  fay,  what 
iliil  remains,  is,  that  we  apply  this  fubjefl  to  our- 
fclves,  and  to  the  prefent  occarion,  by  n>^iking  fomc 
rellexions  on  the  reign  and  death  of  his  late  majeiiy, 

and 


God  ruleth  in  the  Kingdom  cf  Men.   23 

and  on  the  acceflion  of  George  III.  to  the  Imperial 
throne  of  Great- Britain. 

And  it  will  not,  as  is  humbly  conceived,  be  \m^ 
proper  here,  in  the  firft  place,  to  take  a  curfbry  view 
of  the  providcntkl  means,  by  which  the  BritiHi  crowa 
devolved  tO'the  illLtflrious  honfe  of  Hanover,aiid  con^ 
fequently  to  his  late,  and  his  prefent  majelly.  For 
fuch  a  retrofpc^l  on  the  events  of  divine  providence, 
at  the  fame  time  that  it  will  be  a  farther  iliuitration  of 
God*s  ruling  in  the  kingdom  of  men,  and  giving  k 
to  whomfoever  he  will,  may  alfo  {(zxv^  to  efhblifh  us 
in  the  principles  of  true  Britifnjiberty,  and  of  J c^- 
alty  to  his  prefent  majefly,  as  founded  in,  end  refuk- 
iiag  from,  thofe  principles.  Nor  will  yon,  1  sm  per- 
fuaded,  think  I  go  beyond  my  proper  fphere,  if,  upo^i 
fuch  an  occafion,  I  inculcate  ioyalcy,  and  obedience 
to  the  odablillied  government  ;  and  this  u|)on  the 
very  principles  on  which  that  government  is  founded, 
in  oppofition  to  thofe  of  defpotifm  and   tyranny. 

Let  me  remind  you  then,  th?.t  after  the  death  f 
of  queen  Elizabeth,  (the  glory  of  u  hofe  reign,  other- 
wife  truly  great,  was  obicur'd  and  tarniflud  by  re- 
jigious  perfecution)  it  pleafed  God,  doubtlefs  for  rl^ 
jfins  of  the  narii^n,  to  raife  four  princes  fuccefTivdv 
to  the  throne,  whofe  reigns  were  all  inglorious,  and 
*fome  of  them  infamous  to  the  laft  degree  ;  princes 
of  great  pride  and  vanity,  of  arbitrary  notions  and 
praci-iccs,  of  litrls  wifdom,  policy  or  difcretion,  and 
Ifili  lefs  truth,  (incerity  and  honor  ;  princes  who  were 
always  the  dupes  of  our  ancient,  enter priiing  and 
dangerous  enemies,  of  jefuits,  popiili  minillers  or  po- 
pifn  Vv'ives  ;  princes  whofe  reigns  difgraced  the  nation 
abroad,  fnd  were  lore  vKications  of  divine  provider c^ 
upon  it.  1k£ 

f  In  tl:e  yqar   1603. 


24  God  ruleth  in  the  Kingdo?n  of  MeH^ 

The  laft  of  thefe  four  kings  whom  the  moft 
High  gave  us  in  his  anger,  James  II,  ^  was  an  open, 
profefTcd  and  bigotted  j'oman-catholic  ;  who  (luck  at 
no  nieafures  in  order  to  introduce  the  religion  of 
Rome,  to  defpoil  the  Britifh  nations  of  their  ancient 
liberties,  and  to  entail  upon  them  the  two-fold  curfe 
of  popery  and  flavery  ;  which  have  indeed  a 
clofe  connexion  one  with  the  other.  The  king 
daily  made  prodigious  flridcs  towards  a  defpotic 
power  ;  to  eflablifh  which  on  the  ruins  of  the 
Britifh  conftitution,  was  his  manifeft  aim.  And 
he  doubtlefs  promifed  himfelf  fuccefs  in  this  execra- 
ble defign,  by  refie^ling  on  that  feries  of  events  in  and 
after  the  reign  of  Ijis  father,  from  which  he  ought  to 
have  drawn  other  conckifions.  That  unhappy  prince, 
king  Charles  I.  by  favouring  the  papids  contrary  to 
Jaw,  and  many  flagrant  violations  of  the  conflicution, 
had  involved  the  nation  in  a  civil  war;  a  war  entered 
into  on  one  fide,  in  defence  of  public  liberty,  on  the 
otlier,  in  the  fupportof  tyranny  ;  and  which  did  not 
end  but  with  the  ruin,  both  of  the  conflitution,  and 
of  the  infatuated  prince  who  had  been  the  blameable 
caufe  of  it.  King  James  fcem'd  to  take  it  for  granted, 
that  the  nation  would  never  again,  at  lead  not  [o  foon, 
have  recourfe  to  arms,  or  refiilance,  in  defence  of  its 
rights  and  liberties ;  but  rather  fubmit  to  the  moll 
cruel  tyranny,than  attempt  to  rid  itfelf  of  it  by  thofe 
means  which,  however  neceflary,  had  been  attended 
with  fuch  difmal  confequences  :  Efpeciallyasthe  doc- 
trine of  pa  (live  obedience  and  non-reiillance  had,  ever 
fince  tlie  refloration,  |  been  the  eflablifhed  do6lrine, 
which  no  one  could  contradi6i:  with  impunity.  It 
had,  however,  been  a  more  julf,  as  well  as  more  fafe 
inference,  that  the  brave  people  who  had  lately  made 

fuch 

*  He  facceeded  his  brother  Charles  II.  in   1684. 
\  la   i66q. 


God  ruleth  in  the  Kmgdom  of  Men.    2  5 

fucb  efforts  in  defence  of  their  lIberties,would  not  nov/ 
tamely  fubmit  to  arbitrary  fway;  but  again  have  re- 
courfe  to  fbme  extraordinary  means  of  felf-defence, 
if  driven  to  extremities,  whacever  do(5i:rincs  they  might 
profefs  to  believe.  But —  Qjie?n1}eiis  viilt  perdere, 
friiis  deme?7tat — Thofe  vi'hom  God  dcfigns  to  de- 
llroy,  he  firfl  infatLiatcs;  fo  that  they  reiolutcly  per- 
lift  in  fuch  meafures,  as  mnft  needs  terminate  in  their 
ruin.  The  king  was  deaf  to  all  the  remonilrances  of 
reafoii  and  jufiice,  of  policy  and  intereft  ;  and  would 
fuffer  no  check  in  his  mad  career  to  dc(iru<fi:ioii.  Nor 
was  there,  perhaps,  ever  another  king,  to  whom  the 
words  of  the  prophet  to  BelHiazzar,  were  more  appli- 
cable than  to  this  prince,  whom  neither  the  fate  of 
his  unhappy  fathcr,nor  any  thing  el fe, could  keep  from 
deftroying  himfelf —  "  O  thou  king,  the  moft  high 
"  God  gaveNebuchadnezzar  thy  father  a  kingdom — 
*'  But  when  his  heart  was  lifted  up,  and  his  mind 
"  hardened  in  pride,  he  was  depofed  from  his  kingly 
"  throne,  and  they  took  his  glory  from  him.  And 
"^  he  was  driven  from  the  fons  of  men,  and  his  heart 
*'  was  made  like  the  beads,  and  his  dwelling  was  with 

"  the  wild  alTes And  thou  his^  rbn,0  Belfliazzar, 

''  haft  not  humbled  thine  hcart,THOUCH  thouknfav* 
"'  EST  ALL  THIS  !  But  haft  lifted  up  thy  felf/'"^&c. 

In  this  critical  conjun£lure,  it  pleafed  him  who  ru- 
leth in  the  kingdom  of  men,  not  only  to  open  the  eyes 
of  all  the  friends  to  public  liberty  and  the  proreP 
tant  religion,  to  fee  the  common  danger  which  threat- 
ne^d  them,  but  aifo  to  unite  their  hearts  and  counfels 
in  an  extraordinary  manner  to  guard  againft  ir.  Party- 
diftin<fl:ions,  which  had  hitherto  run  very  high,  were 
i'.ow  laid  afide.  The  illuftrious  prince  of  Orange,  the 
king's  fon-in-Iaw,  who  v/as  known  to  be  at  once  a  lo- 

D  ver 

*  Dan.  V.   18. 


26  God  ruleth  in  the  Kingdom  of  Men. 

ver  of  liberty, a  true  proteflantand  an  bero,was.  fecretly 
applied  to  for  his  advice  and  afTiftance,  which  he  gene- 
rou fly  refolved  to  afford,   to  the  utmoR  of  his  ability. 
He  accordingly,  after  mature  deliberation,and  by  con- 
cert with  the  leading  and  better  part  of  the  lords    and 
commons  of  England,  arrived  there  with  a  very  con- 
fiderable  armamentf;  but  relying  chiefly  on  the  known 
good-will  and  affe^lion  of  the  people  in  general,  whom 
a  fenfe  of  their  common  danger  had  united.     It  was 
not  long  after  his  arrival,  that   king  James,  confcious 
he  had  juftly  forfeited,   and  intirely  lofl,  the  affecli- 
ons  of  all  his  fubje61:s,cxcept  the  romancatholic  party  ; 
feeing  himfelf  forfaken,  and  people  of  all  ranks  flock- 
ing totheftandard  of  the  prince;  calling  to  remem- 
brance, doubtlcfs,  the  tragedy  of  the  30th  o^  Janu- 
ary 1648;  and  not  being  ambitious,  it  ieems,  to  il:are 
with  his  father  the  glory  of  martyrdom;^  thought  pro- 
per to  provide  for  his  fafety  by  a  precipitate  flight  into 
France  :  Which  court  had  before  gracioufly  oflerM 
him  her  afllflance  in  his  defign  to  enilave   the  Britifh 
nations,  f  Then  it  was,  that  the  glorious  revolution 
took  place  :  For  the  throne  being  declared  vacant  by 
two  grand  conventions  of  the  lords  and  commons,  by 
means  of  the  abdication,  i.  e.  the    running  away  of 

king 
t  Nov    5.    1688. 

*  This  fort  of  martyrdom  was  very  common  in  ancient  times, 
according  to  that  of  the  poet 

*'  Sine  caede  et  fanguine  pauci 

*'  Defccndunt  rcges*,  et  ficca   morte  tyranni." 

Ju7.  Sat.  X. 
Few  tyrants  to  the  grave  in  peace  dcfccnd  ; 
Abhorr'd  they  live,  and  blvr.d}  is  t/.i-ir  end. 

♦  Ki<:g  and  Tyrant  were  a!rT>ofl  fynonlmous  and  convertih'e 
terms  wirh  the  Latin  poets,  orators  and  hKlotians  :  For  they 
hardly  knew  of  any  kinj'^s,  but  what  were  alfo  tyrants  ;  and 
hwd  (carcly  the  iJt-a  of  fuch  a  Jiniitted,  legal  monarchy,  as 
Bfiti(h  fubjedls  have  ihe  Ijappinefs  of  living  under. 

f  France  had  offered  him  30,000  men  to  Pjpport his  tyranny. 


God  ruhth  in  the  Kingdom  of  Men.   2  7 

king  James,  the  prince  and  princefs  of  Orange  were 
eleBed,  and  invited  into  it ;  and  foon  proclaimed  king 
and  queen,  to  the  great  joy  of  all  the  true  friends  to 
liberty.  The  adminiftraticn  was,  however,  to  be  folely 
in  the  hands  of  the  king,  during  his  life.  In  bringing 
about  which  happy  revolution,  even  many  of  thofe, 
both  clergy  and  laity,  heartily  joined,  who  had  before 
been  loud  and  clamorous  in  aflerting  the  fenfelefs, 
brutifli  principles  of  pafTive  obedience  and  non-refifl- 
ance,  in  confequence  of  the  fuppofed  divine,indefeaf- 
able  right  of  kings  by  inheritance  :  Opinions  now  ex- 
ploded by  all  men  of  fenfe.  % 

This  was  a  new  and  memorable  cera  in  the  Engliili 
hiftory.  The  declaration  of  rights  prefented  and  read 
to  William  and  Mary,  when  they  were  invited  into 
the  throne,  afcertained  the  rights  of  the  fubjefl,  and 
reduced  the  prerogative,  which  had  been  extended  be- 
yond all  bounds  \u  many  preceeding  reigns,  to  its  an- 
lient  limits.  It  Vv'as  declared  by  the  two  conventions 
before-mentioned,  that  the  kings  of  England  held  the 
crown  by  virtue  of  an  "  original  contract,"  in  oppo- 
fition  to  the  notions  of  an  iadefeafeabb  hereditary 
right :  And  this  was  the  bafis  on  \^  liich  the  govern- 
ment was  fettled.  Froviuon  was  now  made  by  many 
D  2  parliamentary 

\  "  Mr.  Hampden.  It  is  a  difgrace  to  our  church  lo  have 
taken  up  fuch  opinions  ;  and  I  will  venture  te  prophcry,that 
"  in  future  tla-.cs  our  clergy  mud  renounce  them,  or  they 
*«  will  be  turned  againfl  them  by  thofe  who  mean  their  de- 
«*  ftruiflion.  Suppofe  a  popijh  kino  on  the  throne  Will 
»»  the  clergy  adficre  to  paiTive  obedidence  &  n on  refinance  I 
•'  If  they  do.  they  deliver  up  :'  eir  religion  toRomc  ;  if  they 
•*  do  not,  their  pradioe  will  i,\)nfute  their  own  doctrine, 

<*  LorJ  Faulkland.  Nature,  Sir,  will  in  time  bcfure  to  fct 
«'  right  whatever  opinion  contradids  her  great  lawsjet  who 

*'  will  be  the  teacher." 

O'lalcgHes  of  ths  Dead,     Dial.  I. 
Ktputed  Author,    Ld,  LvTTt?TO», 


2  8   God  ruleth  in  the  Kingdom  of  Men. 

parliamentary  a6ls,  for  fecuring  the  public  liberty, and 
the  future  peace  and  profpcrity  of  the  nation.  To 
which  ends,amongrt  other  things,  the  fuccelCon  to  the 
crown  was  limited  to  the  protefiant  line  of  the  royal 
family,  and  all  romancatholics,  however  nearly  relat- 
ed to  it  by  blood,  declared  forever  incapable  of  reign- 
ing in  England.  The  like  was  done  in  North- Britain, 
at  that  time  a  diftincl  kingdom. 

KiN'G  William  and  Queen  Mary  being  (Ic^d  with- 
out  leaving  iiTue,  the  princefsAnn,  a  proteflanr,  and 
a  daughter  of  the  then  lately  out-lawed  king  James, 
afcended  the  throne  in  conformity  to  the  parliamen- 
tary fettlement  of  the  fucoenion.  In  her  reign  the 
union  between  North  and  South-Britain,  Vvhich  king 
William  had  zealouily  recommended  before,  v^/as  hap- 
pily accomplifhed.  An  union,  which  the  author  of 
nature  hud  pointed  out  between  two  nations  on  the 
fanie  ifland  ;  both  lovers  of  liberty,  both  brave  and 
warlike, both  generally  proteflant  ;  mutually  (landing 
in  need  of  one  another's  afliflance  againll  their  com- 
mon enemies  ;  and  whofl"  -Iraation,  and  martial  fpirit, 
whenever  they  were  at  variance,  had  reiidcr\i  them 
fore  fcourges  to  each  other.  Queen  Ann,  iho'  a 
Stewart,  reigned  not  without  reputation  and  glory, 
till  one  or  two  of  the  lad  years  of  her  life,  when 
file  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  bad  miniilers  and 
counfellor?.  Her  fon,  the  duke  of  GlouceRer,  who 
was  otherwife  to  have  fucceeded  her^  died  the  year 
before  llie  came  to  ihe  throne.  X  So  tliat  the  ele^Slor 
of  Hanover  was  now  the  prefumptive  heir  to  the 
prown.  But  the  queen  was  furpe(^ed,  and  not  with- 
out fome  good   rcafons,  of  a  ^Q^vTn  to  fet  afide,   if 

polTible, 

J  He  cljed  in  1700,  being  in  the  iifK  yertr  of  hi*  age.  He 
was  a  prince  of  great  hopes,  whofe  fhlhtr  was  princtGeorgc 
of  Denmark,  the  Queen's  hufuarid* 


God  ruleth  in  the  Kingdom  of  Men.  29 

pofTible,  the  proteftant  fucceiTion  in  that  illuflrious 
houle,  in  favour  of  her  [doubtful]  brorher,  the  che- 
valier de  St.  George  ;  who,  whether  he  were  or  were 
not,  the  (on  of  the  then  late  king  James,  was  yec  ex- 
cluded from  the  throne  by  law,  as  a  romancatholic. 
Some,  indeed,  deny  that  the  queen  had  any  fuch  in- 
tention ;  and  that,  with  as  much  confidence  as  others 
allert  it.  But  be  that  as  it  may,  upon  her  death  §,  the 
elector  of  Hanover  (George  I.)  was  immediately,  and 
without  oppofition,  proclaimed  king  of  Great-Britain,, 
in  conformity  to  the  parliamentary  fcttlcment  of  the 
fucceffion,  confirmed  by  repeated  a(fl:5  in  both  the 
precceding  reigns.  He  was  a  proteftant,  nearly  relat- 
ed to  the  crown  by  blood  ;  at  leall  nearer  than  any 
other  proteftant  prince,  or  princefs,  then  living -[-. 
And  he  reic;ned  with  wifdom,  juflice  and  clemency, 
tho'  nor  without  (ome  dilfurbances,  and  one  open  re- 
bellion, railed  in  favour  of  the  pretender.  He  died 
in  the  13th  year  of  his  reign,  leaving  beliind  him 
the  chara«5ler  of  one  of  the  wifell,  juffeft,  and  moft 
magnanimous  princes  of  his  age.  And  on  the  death 
of  this  truly  great  and  good  king,  the  Britiili  crown 
devolved,  by  the  right  of  fucceffion  as  limited  by 
parliament,   to  his  lute  majedy  king  George  IL  f 

By  this  brief  Jeduclion  you  fee,  on  one  hand,  the 
repeated  efforts  of  tyranny,  and  on  the  other,  the 
glorious  ffruggles  for  liberty,  of '  wliich  Britain 
was  the  fcene  for  many  years.  You  fee  how  God 
ruleth  in  the  kingdom  of  men,  and  giveth  it  to  vvhom- 
foever  he  will.  You  fee  how  mercifully  he  delivered 
the  Britiih  nations  from  one  popilh  and  arbitrary  kin^ 

at 

§   In  171.}. 
-j-  The  mother  of  K.  George  I.  v.'as  a  grand-daughter   of  K. 
James  \     A  princefs  of  a  very  diftin^uifaeti  duiad;r. 

J  Anuo  1727. 


30  God  ruhth  in  the  Kingdom  of  Men. 

at  the  revolution  ;  and  how  he  preferved  it  once  and 
agiiiii  from  another  j  I  mean  the  pretender,  whom 
many  perfons  were  defirous  of  introducing,  to  the 
prejudice  of  the  protcllant  fucccfTion.  You  fee  how 
God  has  been  the  guardian  of  our  hberties,  civil  and 
^cred.  You  fee  that  Britifh  fubjedls  have  the  happi- 
nefs  of  hving  under  a  legal  and  limited  monarchy  ; 
snd,  what  are  fome  of  the  fundamental  principles,  on 
which  the  prefent  government  is  eftabliflicd.  In  fine, 
you  fee  by  what  right  the  princes  of  the  houfe  of 
Manover  have  afcended  the  Britiili  throne  ;  not  a 
chimerical  and  imaginary,  but  a  folid,  legal  and 
parliamentary  one  :  The  beft  and  mofl  indifputabie 
right,  that  any  king  can  poilibly  reign  by,  unlefs  God 
hiuifelf  (liould,  by  a  voice  from  heaven,  proclaim  him 
king,  or  require  us,  by  a  prophet,  to  pay  our  alle- 
giance  to  him  as  fuch. 

But  fome  may  poilibly  expecl,  that  I  l"hould  fay 
iomething  more  particularly  concerning  his  late  ma- 
jei^y.  And  indeed,  tho'  I  cannot  pretond  to  give  his 
juft  chara^er,  yet  it  would  be  hardly  decent  to  pafs 
over  his  many  royal  virtues  in  filence  ;  or  to  bury 
fo  good  and  venerable  a  king,  without  recolle^ing 
fc)rne  of  thofc  things,  which  ought  to  make  us  honour 
liis  memory. 

His  late  majefly  was  unquefllonably  endow'd  with 
a  brillant  genius  ;  with  a  great  fliare  of  natural  pe- 
netration and  fagacity.  Nor  was  that  genius  luiculti- 
■vated  by  learning  ;  fuch  learning  efpeciaily  as  be- 
comes a  king.  He  is  f.\id  to  have  been  extremely 
well  verfed  in  hiftury,parvicu!arly  that  of  Europe  ;  and 
to  have  had  a  very  thorough  undcrllandi ng  of  the  po- 
litical inrcrelts  and  connexions  of  all  the  kingdoms 
and  flares  therein.     Wirhouc  v/hich  it  cvould  indeed 

have 


God  ruleth  in  the  Kingdom  of  Men,   3 1 

have  been  impofTible  for  him  to  maintain  his  cliaracler 
as  the  chief  bulwark  of  its  liberties,  and  of  the  pro 
tcftant  religion,  as  he  actually  was.  As  he  came  into 
England  at  about  thirty  two  years  of  age,  and  lived 
there  about  twelve  years  before  he  came  to  the  throne, 
he  had,  during  that  period,  an  opportunity  to  acquaint 
himfelf,  not  only  with  the  Britifn  conliiiurion,  bivt 
with  the  peculiar  temper  and  genius  of  the  people, 
Nor  could  he  fail  to  reap  great  advantage  from  the 
in{iitution%  the  political  maxims,  and  the  example  of 
fo  wife  a  king,  as  his  royal  father.  And  he  was,  like 
him,  what  may  be  properly  Called,  a  conlUtutional 
king  :  One  who  well  knew  both  the  extent  of  his 
own  prerogative,  and  the  rights  of  the  people  ;  on« 
who  made  the  laws  the  rule  of  his  governm.ent,  and 
whom  even  malice  can  hardly  accufe  of  either  doing, 
or  attempting  to  d^o^  an  arbitrary,  illegal  thing,  during 
his  whole  reign.  And  it  fhould  be  rcmember'd  here, 
that  the  Britilh  conftitution  and  laws  are  (b  wife,  ifo 
excellent,  that  he  who  uniformly  makes  them  the  rule 
of  his  adminiflration,  muft  of  confequence  be  a  good 
king  ;  at  lealt  he  cannot  eafily  be  fuppofed  to  be  a 
bad  one. 

And  merely  not  to  have  been  a  bad  king,  is  per* 
haps  grater  praife  than  is  due  to  far  the  moft  of  thoj^, 
who  have  reigned  from  the  days  of  Nimrod  to  the 
prefent  time.  But  to  flop  here,  would  be  very  in- 
jurious to  the  chni  after  and  memory  of  his  late  majeily. 
He  appeared,  throughout  his  reign,  to  have  the  true 
intcrelt  r.nd  honour  ot  Grear-Brirain  at  heart ;  know- 
■  jng  tliat  kings,  efpccially  Britiili  kings,  are  made  for 
the  people,  and  not  people  for  kings.  Notwithiland- 
ing  \Q'A\<t  fro  usj  lujiiappy,  but  yet  neceflary  and  un- 
avoidable connexions,  we  have  reafon  to  think  tnac 
his  niaiellv*s  uniform  and  c^reat  aim  was,  to  proniorc 

tiie 


3  2  God  ruleth  in  the  Kingdom  of  Men. 

the  good  of  his  kingdoms.  He  was  indeed  indefa- 
tigable in  his  endeavours  to  this  end  ;  and,  in  the 
language  of  the  apoftle,  "attended  continually  on  this 
very  thing".  He  was  an  encourager  of  learning,  of 
manufa(ftures  and  commerce  ;  the  two  latter  of  which, 
I  fuppofe,  never  fiouriflied  fo  much  in  Great-Britan, 
as  under  his  aufpicious  reign. 

His  majefty  was  at  once  a  prince  of  great  juflice 
and  great  clemency.  The  former  was  evident  from 
his  care  to  have  the  laws  duly  executed,  without  re- 
fpecl  of  perfons  ;  and  his  not  allowing  the  meanefl  of 
his  fubjecls  to  be  oppreded,  fo  far  as  it  was  in  the 
power  of  a  Britidi  king  to  prevent  it.  Nor  were 
private  property,  the  life  and  rights  of  the  fubjefl, 
ever  more  fecure  perhaps,  than  under  his  adminiilra- 
tion.  His  majcfty's  clemency  appeared  in  many  in- 
fiances  ;  but  in  none  more  confpicuouily,  than  in  his 
conduct  tovv-ards  ihofc  who  were  engaged  in  the  black 
rebellion  of  i  745.  Very  ^c^  examples  were  made 
of  royal  juflice,  after  that  horrid  rebellion  was  at  a 
period.  But  how  many  traitors,  even  obliged,  and 
therefore  ungrateful  ones,  were  made  examples  of  the 
royal  grace  1  His  majefiy  had  a  greatnefs  of  minci^ 
wi)ich  made  him  chufe  rather  to  reclaim  his  rcbelli- 
Qus  fubjcfts  by  his  lenity,  than  to  rid  himfelf  of  them 
Vy  a  juflifiable  feveriry.  And  there  is  reafon  to 
think,  that  this  truly  god-like  method  of  proceeding 
had  a  great  and  happy  effefl ;  and  was  the  means,  not 
only  of  recor.cliing,  but  (irongly  attaching  to  his  per- 
lon  and  government,  many  people  who  had  been  un- 
rcafbnably  difaflecled  thereto  before. 

His  mnjefly,  like  his  royal  father,  v.'q?  a  prince  of 
§h  heroic  and  martial  fpirit  :  A  lover,  indeed, of  peace; 
but  one  who  would  not  faller  himfelf  or  his  lubiccts 


to 


God  ruleth  in  the  Kingdom  of  Men.   3  3 

to  be  injured,  without  taking  up  the  (word,  when  that 
meafure  became  necedary.  He  was  a  king,  not  only 
of  great  fpirit  and  refokuion,  and  the  mod  undaunted 
fortitude  ;  but  one  who  well  knew  how  to  command 
armies  in  the  field,  when  there  was  occafion  for  it : 
Of  which  he  gave  fome  not  inglorious  proofs. 

His  majefty  was  a  prince,  even  by  the  confefTion  of 
his  enemies,  many  of  them  at  lead,  of  great  fmcerity 
and  truth,  of  drift  probity  and  honorjn  all  his  public 
Iran faftions, both  towards  his  own  fubjefts  and  towards 
foreign  dates  and  kingdoms.  He  was  far  above  thac 
deceit,  artifice,  and  low-cunning,for  which  mod  of  the 
Stewart  race  were  fo  eminent,  the  royal  martyr  him- 
felf  not  excepted.  In  fliort,  his  whole  reign  was  a 
confutation  of  that  infamous  Machiavellian  maxim, 
"  Qui  nefcit  difTimulare,  nefcit  regnare" — He  that 
knows  not  how  to  didembie,  is  ignorant  of  the  art  of 
reigning. 

It  was  intimated  above,  that  his  majedy  was  a  true 
protedant.  As  fuch  he  was  a  friend  to  toleration, and 
religious  liberty  ;  which  cannot  indeed  be  violated 
without  violating  the  natural  rights  of  mankind.  His 
majedy  did  not  aifeft,  as  defender  of  the  faith,  to  make 
his  own  private  judgment  and  confcience  a  rule  to  his 
fubjefts,  or  to  tyrannize  over  their  confciences.  Nor 
did  he,  as  head  of  the  church  by  law  edablidied  in  Ki- 
gland,  endeavour  to  dedroy  the  church  equally  eda- 
blidied by  law  in  Scotland  ;  or  defire  to  didrefs  any 
of  his  good  protedant  fubjefts,  who  might,  in  fomo 
rcfpefts,  dilTent  from  them  both.  Some  inconvenien- 
cies  and  hardfliips.I  m.ean  legal  ones,thefe  latter  mighc 
indeed  be  fubjeftcd  to;  which  there  is  ground  to  think, 
a  prince  of  fo  great  equity  and  goodnefs,  v/as  fo'far 
from  beitfig  pleafed  with,  that   he  would    have  been 

E  giad 


34  Got)  ruhth  in  the  Kingdojn  of  MerH 

glad  to  fee  them  wholly  removed.  Happy  had  it  been 
for  the  Britifh  nations,  if  all  his  prcdecedbrs  in  the 
throne  had  been  of  fuch  generous  and  catholic  prin- 
ciples— The  true  church  of  Chrift  needs  not  to  have 
her  faith  defended  by  any  other  weapons,  than  thofe 
of  (bber  reafoii  and  argument,nnlefs  it  be  againft  thofe 
who  attack  it  v/ith  carnal  ones.  Indeed  wicked  men 
and  hypocrites  can  hardly  ever  think  their  church  fe- 
cure,  unlefs  fbme  other  fword  befides  that  of  the  fpi- 
rit,  is  drawn  in  her  defence,  Tho'  fhe  have  kings^ 
for  her  nurfing-fathers,  and  queens  for  her  nurfing- 
mothers  ;  iho'  fliebe  rocked  in  a  princely  cradle,  and 
fweetly  charm' d  to  hex  repofe  with  royal  lullabies  5 
yet  fo  perverfe  are  fome  of  her  children,  that  they 
can  take  no  reft,  unlefs  others,  out  of  her  pale,  are 
put  upon  the  rack,  or  otherwife  harrafled  with  penal 
laws — But,  blefled  be  God,  all  our  royal  defenders  of 
the  faith,  fince  James  II,  have  been  content  to  be 
nurfmg»fatbers  to  the  church,  by  preferving  the  pub- 
lic peace,  toleration,  and  liberty  of  confcience  i  The 
happy  effedls  whereof  have  been  very  apparent  in  ma« 
ny  refpe^ls.  And  confidering  the  known  juftice  and 
moderation  of  the  royal  houfe  of  Hanover,  and  alfo  of 
other  eminent  and  diftinguifhed  perfonages  in  church 
and  ftatc,  we  "need  not  wholly  defpair  of  feeing  th© 
time,  when  all  good  pr<)tefTants,  and  loyal  fubje^ls, 
fl^^ll  have  their  iharein  the  honors  and  emoluments  of 
the  ftate,  without  being  fubjecl:ed  to  any  narrow-fpi- 
rited,  and  injurious  tejis. 

But  not  to  digrefs.  It  may  be  faid  npon  the  whole,, 
that  the  maxims  of  his  late  majefty's  government  were 
wife,  noble  and  truly  heroic.  And  as  his  views  were 
in  general  pure,  generous  and  fublime ;  fb  it  pica  fed 
God  to  give  him  a  profperous  reign.  During  his  reign, 
Inhere  have  indeed  been  fome  doaieflic  trouycs,   as 


<jod  ruleth  in  the  Kingdom  of  Men.  35 

well  as  foreign  wars ;  to  prevent  which,  is  not  always 
in  the  power  of  the  wifeft  and  bed  kings.  Nor  can 
k  be  denied  without  blind nefs,  or  extreme  prejudice, 
that  fome  g^^'M  and  threatning  evils,  have  been  grow- 
ing in  the  nation  ever  fince  the  revolution.  Of  which, 
'however,  diofe'  only  ought  to  bear  the  blame,  who 
were  the  criminal  caufes  of  them.  And  even  not- 
withftanding  thefe  evils;  it  may  be  truly  faid,  that  all 
thefe  reigns  have  been  happy,  attended  with  national 
^profperity  and  glory  ;  particularly  that  of  his  late 
;majefl:y.  He  ever  exerted  himfelf  wifely  and  vigo- 
roufly,  and,  by  the  bl effing  of  God,  fuGcefsfully.  to 
promote  the  public  good.  The  rebellion  had  a  fea- 
fonable  (top  put  to  it  ;  and  the  prudent  meafnres  fince 
ufed,  have  in  fome  meafuro  allayed  old  animofities, 
and  united,. parties.  There  has  not,  perhaps,  been 
greater  harmony  in  the  nation  fince  the  days  of  queen 
•Elizabeth,  if  then,  than  during  fome  of  the  laft  years 
of  his  majefty's  reign.  During  which  time,  his  ma- 
jefty's  counfels  and  arms  have  alfb  been  remarkably 
profpered,  not  only  for  the  defence  of  his  own  domi- 
nions, but  alfo  for  reducing  the  pride  and  power  of 
France.  Neither  of  the  four  quarters  of  the  world 
is  defiitute  of  glorious  proofs  hereof.  Nor  is  it  eafy 
to  mention  any  period,  wherein  the  national  honor 
and  profperity  were  greater,  than  at  the  time  of  his 
majefty's  deceafe  :  Even  tho'  he  left  his  fubge£ls  en« 
gaged  in  a  war,  which  we  could  have  wiflicd  him  to 
terminate  with  a  glory  and  fuccefs,  equal  to  that  with 
which  it  had  been  carried  on  for  fome  years  before,. 
This  would  have  compieated  both  his  and  our  worldly 
•felicity ;  and  might  have  rendered  the  reign  of  king 
George  II.  the  moll  glorious  period  in  the  Britiih 
annals :  Yea,  it  may,  perhaps,  flill  be  fb,  nouvith- 
ftanding  this  circumftance  is  wanting  to  compleac 
;the  felicity  of  It, 

E  %  G^p 


36  God  ruleth  in  the  Kingdom  of  Men^ 

God,  indeed,  blcfied  his  majefly  with  a  long  Iif@ 
and  reign,  tho'  not  fo  long  as  his  goo  1  fubjefls  defired. 
lie  was,  I  fuppofe,  the  oldefl  reigning  ynnce  in  Eu- 
rope, at  the  time  of  his  deceafe  :  And,  for  many  ages 
pail:,  no  king  of  England  had  attained  to  his  years  |. 
HadGou  regarded  the  fond  wifhcsof  his  loyal  fabjefls, 
he  might  indeed  have  been  immortal  :  For  the  time 
would  probably  never  have  come,  when  they  would 
have  parted  with  him  without  j\ny  rclu£lance.  But  the 
inofl:  High,  v^ho  ruleth  in  the  kingdom  of  men.  hath 
leen  meet  to  call  him  out  of  this  world.  And  altho* 
we  cannot  refign  fo  good  a  king,  our  comnjqn  father, 
without  a  degree  of  forrow  ;  yet  we  have  doubt  left 
far  more  reafon  to  blefs  God  for  fparing  him  to  us 
fo  long,  than  v^/e  have  to  murmur  or  complain  at  his 
taking  hira  away  from  us  at  hil:.  And  while  we  ex- 
prefs  fuch  an  ingenuous  grief  as  becornes  dutiful 
and  obliged  fubjccTcs  on  this  occafion,  there  are,  as 
v/as  intimated  before,  many  circumftances  to  confole 
us  under  the  lofs,  and  make  i)s  acquiefce  in  this 
(difpenfiuion  of  divine   providence. 

It  may  truly  be  faid  of  his  late  majefly,  as  it  vvas 
of  k'ng  David,  that  he  *'  died  in  a  good  old  age, 
full  of  days,  riches  and  honor  ''^.  He  died  as  ir  were 
in  the  arms  of  vi(f^ory  ;  triumphing  over  his  enemies, 
foreign  and  domeitic  ;  over  the  former  by  his  arms, 
and  over  the  ktter  by  his  goodnefs  and  clemency. 
He  left  the  nation  in  as  prpfperous  circumfh^ices, 
ss  could  well  be  imagined  in  a  time  of  war.  He 
had  not  only  lived  longer,  but  done  more  good,  and 
iherefore  acqaiicd  more  glory,  than  mod  kings,  even 
good  ones,  had  done  before  him.  Nor,  which  is  a 
BK^ft  material  circum(tance,  did  he  die  till  he  faw  hii 
yoyal  grandluii  and  heir,  trc<incd    up  under   his  owu 

eye, 

j  He  was  al'iiofl  77.  *^  i  Chron,  XXIX.  28. 


QoB  ruhth  in  the  Kingdom  of  Men.   %  7 

sye,  and  that  of  a  princcfs  of  very  diftinguifhM  merit, 
arrived  at  fuch  a  maturity  of  life  and  judgment,  as 
qualified  him  for  taking  ihe  government  immediately 
into  his  owu  hands. 

How  much  better  has  God  been  to  us  in  this  re- 
fpe6l,  than   bur  fears  fometim.e  fince  ?  not    to  fay, 
than    our  deferts.  which  it  were  unnecefTary  to  add. 
It  is   now  ahiioft  ten  years  (ince  God,   in   his  holy 
providence,    put  us  into  tears   and  mourning,  and   a- 
wakened  our  ferious  apprehenfions,  by  the  untimely 
death  of  his  royal  highnefs  Frederic,  prince  of  Wales, 
the  then  heir  apparent,    and  father  to  his  prefent  ma- 
Jefty.     The  late  king  was  even   then    old  and  gray- 
headed, and  was  alfo  laid  at  that  time  to  be  infirm.The 
next   heir  to   the  throne,  he  who,  by  the  grace  of 
God,  now   (its   upon  it,  was  but  about  twelve  years 
of  age.     So  that  we  had  great  reafon  to  fear,  one  of 
die  woes  would  befal  us,  which  Solomon  fpeaks  o'  ; 
that  of  having  a  child,  or   fcarce  more  than  a  child, 
io  reign  over  us.     His  late  majel^y,  in  his  great  wif- 
dom  and  goodnefs,  took  all   poffible  care  and  pains  to 
guard  againft  the  inconveniences  and  hazards  of  this, 
jf  it  fhould  pleafe  God  to  take  him  away  during  the 
minority,  and  tender  age,  of  his  royal  grand fon.   Bur, 
to  our  great  joy,   it  lias   plea  fed    the   mofl  High  to 
lengthen  out   his  important  life,  till   he    beheld  the 
heir  of    his  kingdoms   and   dominions   of  full  age, 
and  indeed  more   than  full   age,  to  govern  them  : 
And  it  is    fome   time  fince  our  jud    apprehenfions 
above  mentioned,     were    laid    afide.     Thus    graci- 
oufly   hath    he,   who     ruleth   in    the.  kingdom    of 
men,  provided    for  our  welfare.     And    as   his   pre- 
fent-majefty  is  the  firjl  king  of  Great-Britain,  born 
therein,  i.  e.  the  firft  born   in  the  ifiand  of  Britain, 
fince  the  kingdoms  of  England  and  Scotland    were 
waited,  God  grant  he  maj  prove  a  great  and  equal 

bleffmg 


3S  God  ruieth  in  the  Kingdom  of  M^n. 

bleffiHg  to  both  :  And  that  the  fubje^ls  of  both, 
being  now  united  in  one  kingdom  as  well  as  under 
one  .king,  may  have  no  fufpicions,  no  jealoufies,  no 
.contentions  among  themfelves,  unlefs  it  is  a  conten- 
tion, who  (hall  fiiew  at  once  the  greateft  loyalty  to 
ills  majefty,  and  the  fincereft  love  to  Briiifh  liberty, 
as  founded  in,  as  eftabliOied  and  fecured  by,  the 
Bricilh  laws :  Which  ought  indeed  to  be  more  facred 
withBritons,than  the  interefl:  of  any  particirlar  perfon 
or  family  whatfoever.  In  faying  which,  I  truft,  1^ 
fay  4>othing  unbecoming  a  good  fubjedl:,  in  contra- 
diilindioa  to  a   Have. 

According  to  the  larcd  advices  from  Britain, 
which  came  to  town  the  laft  evening,  it  fecms  that 
a  >ery  fpeedy  peace  is  not  now  much  expelled,  at 
leaft,  that  it  is  not  to  be  depended  upon.  We  have 
indeed  his  majedy's  declaration  to  the  court  on  the  day 
of  the  late  king's  deatli,  wherein,  I  think,  this  is  im- 
plied :  A  declaration  conceived  in  fuch  terras,  as  tend 
to  raife  our  expc6l:ations  of  great  felicity  under  his 
reign.  You  will  doubtleis  hear  with  pleafure  part  of 
a  fenience  or  two,  exira(Stod  from  it,  as  it  lias  not 
been  made  public  amongft  us — After  fpeaking  of  the 
great  lofs  which  he  and  (he  nation  had  fuftained  in 
the  fudden  death  of  the  king,  his  majeHy  proceeds 
thus :  **  But  animated  by  the  teadereft  afre<ftions  for 
^<  this  MY  NATIVE  COUNTRY,  and  depending  on  the 
^'  advice,  the  experience  and  abilities  of  your  lord- 
**  fliip^,  on  the  fupport  and  affiRance  of  every  honefl: 
**  man,  I  enter  with  chearfulnefs  into  this  arduous 
'*  (ituation  ;  and  ihall  make  it  the  bufinefs  of  my 
'*  life  to  promore  in  every  thing  the  glory  and  in;- 
'♦  tcrcR  of  thefe  kingdoius" —  A  declaration  truly 
worthy  a  young  Britiih  monarch  ;  which  we  ought 
J  condvier,  not  as  wordj;  of  courfcj  but  as  proceed- 
ing 


God  ruleth  in  the  Kingdcm  of  Men.   39 

ing  from  the  royal  heart  of  him  that  made  k.  ^  May 
that  God,  who  hath  the  hearts  of  all  kings,  as  well 
as  of  their  fubje(5b,  in  his  hand,  confirm  his  majefly 
in  thefe  noble  lentiments,  thefe  truly  royal  purpofes - 
and  anach  the  hearts  of  all  geod  men  to  his  perfon, 
government  and  family.  May  he  cioarh  hJs  enemies 
with  fhamc,  while  the  crown  iiouriilies  on  his  head  , 
and  while  three  kingdoms  with  their  dependencicJS, 
happy  under  his  aufpicious  reign,  Hiall  with  One  voice 
lay,  ''  Long  hve  king  George  III;  and  die  at  leafl: 
'*  as  old,  as  profperous,  as  venerable,  as  much  be- 
''  loved,  as  much  honoured,  as  George  II  !*' — All 
this  we  fmcerely  hope  for ;  and  more  than  this  wc 
could  not,  perhaps,  very  modeftly  defire  — r— ^ 

Trough  we  ought  always  to  remember  our  kre 
Ibvereign  with  the  greateft  veneration,  our  allegiance 
muft  x\o^  be,  or  rather  is  already,  transferred  to  his 
royal  grandfon  and  heir  ;  in  whom,  in  fbme  fenfe,  he 
ilill  furvives&  reigns.  Thefe  Northern  Amerieancolo- 
laies  have  indeed  ever  diftingui (lied  themfelves  by  their 
loyalty,  and  their  zeal  for  the  proteftanr  fucceilion  in 
the  houfe  ©f  Hanover.  We  had  accordingly  a  great 
jfliare  in  the  affed^ions  of  his  late  majefly  ;  tlie  happy 
fruits  of  whofe  royal  care,  and  indefatigable  endea- 
vours for  our  fecurity  and  welfare,  we  now  reap  jn 

feme 

"     *  since  this  difcourfe  was  delivered,  we  have  had  his  m:ijc(tv*s 

gracioas,  an<i  mofi  excellent  {peech  from  the  throne jo  both 

lioufes  of   parliament  :   fn  one  paragraph    of  which,    he  rs 

pleafed  to  cxprcTs    himfeifthus ■  ''  Born  and   educated 

*'  in  this  country,  I  glory  in  the  name  of  Britos  ;  and  ir.c 
**  pecaliar  happinefs  of  my  life  will  ever  conhft  in  promot- 
*■'  ing  the  welhsre  of  a  people,  whofe  loyally,  and  warm  af- 
*'  fedion  to  [vie,  F  conflder  as  the  greatefl  and  mod  perma- 
*'  nent  fecurity  of  My  throne  :  And  1  dou'jt  not  but  rhfir 
**  {kadinefs  in  thofe  principles,  will  equal  t!.e  firmnefs  of 
*"*  my  invariable  refolution  to  adhere  to,  and  lUcngthcc* 
^^  skis  excellent  conftituiion" 


40  God  ruleth  in  the  Kingdom  of  Men 6 

ome  mcafure,  and  are  likely  to  reap  in  Rill  greatsr 
abundance  in  future  times.  His  royal  highnefs,  the 
late  prince  Frederic,  had  alfo  a  great  concern  for  the 
prolperity  of  the  colonies,  as  he  well  knew  both 
their  loyalty,  and  their  importance  to  Great-Britain. 
And  had  he  lived  to  afcend  the  throne,  we  fhould 
doubtlefs  have  had  in  him  fuch  another  friend  and 
proteftor,  as  we  have  loft  in  his  late  majefty.  We  have 
no  reafbn  to  doubr,  but  that  his  prefenC  majefty 
will  have  the  fame  gracious  regard  for  us  ;  and, 
perhaps,  perfe£t  that  deliverance  fo  happily  begun, 
and  carried  on  fo  far,  for  his  American  rubje(5^s,  within 
ihefe  few  years  paft.  May  God  give  us  favour  in  his 
eyes,  as  he  did  in  the  eyes,  both  of  his  royal  grand- 
father and  father,  that  our  great  lofs  in  them  may  be 
made  up  in  him  1  This  we  have  reafon  humbly  to 
hope,  if  we  perfevere  in  our  accuftomed  loyalty  ;- 
and  dill  condu61  ourfelves  as  dutiful  fubjefls.  And 
if  our  late,  ever-honoured  king,  could  now  fpeak  to 
us,  I  am  perfwaded  he  would  admonifh  ustofhew  our 
regard  to  his  memory,not  fo  much  by  fruitlefly  lament- 
ing  his  death,  as  by  a  dutiful  and  loyal  behaviour  to- 
wards his  fucceflbr  ;  as  the  certain  way  to  fccure  his 
royal  favour,  and,  by  the  bleffing  of  heaven,  to  pro- 
long,or  even  to  increafc,our  tranquility  and  happineft. 
I  almoft  imagine  I  hear  him  fpeaking  toUs,in  common 
with  all  our  fellow-fubje£ls,  in  (uch  terms  as  thefe  — 
"  Alas !  my  children,  why  do  you  thus  in  vain  la- 
*^  ment  my  departure  from  you  I  Was  not  man  born 
'*  to  die  ?  I  was'  long  happy  in  yonr  pffe^tion,  and 
*'  dutiful  regard  to  me.  You  were  alfb  long  happy 
*'  under  my  government,  iho'  lefs  {o  than  1  fincerely 
*'  defired  to  make  you.  The  relation  of  king  and  (ub-. 
'*  je(5t  no  longer  fubfifts  between  us.  But  death, 
'*  which  has  diflolved  that  relation,  has  not  been  able  . 
*^  to  diminilli  my  love  to  you,  and  concern  for  your 

''  happinefs. 


God  fuleth  in  the  Kingdom  of  Men.  41 

"  hstppinefs.  I  cannot  indeed  now  promote  it  my- 
"  felf :  But,  behold  that  royal  youth,  whom  yoti 
"  lately  hail'd  to  the  Britifh  throne  !  — Let  all  faftion 
"  ceafe  ;  be  loyal  ;  be  public-fpirired.  And  in  him^ 
**  as  you  have  another  George,  expc£l  alfo  another 
"  friend  to  your  liberties  ;  another  guardian  of  youf 
*'  laws ;  another  father ;  another  victor  over  your  ene- 
*'  mies,with  extended  empire,  and  increafing  glory!" — 

But  let  niehow  clofethis  difcoutfe  with  fome  very 

ihort  reflections  of  a  pra£licai  nature -How  tranfi- 

ent  is  all  worldly  greatnefs  and  glory!  Whofe  death 
is  it,  my  brethren,that  we  have  been  meditating  upon? 
Is  it  not  that  of  a  king  ?  a  great  and  profperous  king  ? 
one,  whofe  fortune,  whofe  riches  and  honor,  might  at 
once  excite  the  envy  of  mod  other  monarchs,  and 
leave  them  in  defpair  of  ever  attaining  thereto.  But^ 
alas!  what  is  worldly  felicity,  wordly  glory?  a  fud- 
den  gleam  ;  a  meteor  darting  along  the  fky,  which  i^ 
no  (boner  beheld,than  it  falls,and  difappears  forever-- 
"  Vanity  of  vanities,  all  is  vanity." 

If  kings,  if  great  and  good  kings,  fuch  as  the  fbve-» 
feign  of  the  world  has  dignified  with  the  title  of  gsdsi 
mujft  fo  foon  "  die  like  men,'^  certainly  wc  common 
ttiortals  (liould  not  either  flatter  ourfelves  with  thehopd 
of  immortality  here,  or  place  our  fif)reme  felicity  in 
this  world.  Can  any  of  us  hope  ever  to  arrive  at  fuch 
worldly  profperity  and  greatnefs,  as  our  late  fovereii^n 
enjoyed  ?  Not,  certainly,  if  wc  are  in  our  right  fenfcs. 
But  would  even  that  fatisf  y  us  ?  Nor,  unlefs  we  u'cre 
more  than  mad. —  Alas !  it  is  only  a  low  ambition,  a 
fordid  fpirit,  that  could  take  up  contented  with  fuch  a 
portion,  fuch  an  happinefs,  without  looking  beyond 
the  grave  ;  For  *^  man  being  in  honor,  abideih  not''—^ 

F  V^'s 


4?  God  ruleth  in  the  Kingdom  of  Men* 

We  ^re,  moreover,  admonifhed  by  this  difpenfatioi^ 
pf  providence,  lo  place  our  chief  hope  and  confidence j^^ 
not  in  man,  not  even  in  mighty  kings,  and  potentates, 
but  in  the  molt  high  God,  who  ruleth  in  the  kingdom 
of  men,  and  hath  the  breath  of  all  kings  in  his  own 
hand  — •''  Put  not  your  truitin  princes,  fays  the  royal 
pfalmid:,  nor  in  the  fon  of  man  in  whom  there  is  no  help. 
His  breath  ^oeth  forth  ;  he  returneth  to  his  earth  ; 
in  that  very  day  his  thoughts  perifh.  Happy  [thenj 
js  he  that  hath  the  God  of  Jacob  for  bis  help,  whole 
hope  is  in  the  Lord  his  God,  which  made  heaven  and 
earthy  the  fea,  and  all  that  therein  is;  which  keepeth 
mercy  forever." — The  Lord  fhall  live  and  reign  for- 
ever :  And  the  obedient  fubje£ls  of  his  kingdom  fliall 
be  ever  fecure,  ever  happy,  in  his  favour  and  protec- 
t'pn>  tho'  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  moved  and 
overturned,  or  both  earth  heaven  were  diflolved  ! 

To  conclude  then  :  Let  us  all  be  adrponifhed  to 
put  our  trult  in  the  great,  the  eternal  God  ;  and,  in  thq 
way  of  well-doing,  to  commit  the  keeping  of  our  bo- 
dies and  fouls  to  hiin,  as  unto  a  faithful  creator.  Let 
us  both  fear  God,  and  honor  the  king  ;  which  duties 
the  apoflle  joins  together.  Let  us  endeavour  tq  lead 
quiet  and  peaceable  lives  in  all  godlinefs  and  honefty  ; 
•*  as  free,  and  not  ufing  our  liberty  for  a  clokc  of 
malicioufnefs,  bi|Pas  the  fervants  of  God  ;'*  and,  by 
pacient  continuance  in  well-doing,  feek  for  glory,  ho- 
nor and  immortality.  Let  us  be  faithful  and  diligenc 
in  difcharging  the  duties  of  our  feveral  ftations  in  life; 
knowing  that  we  are  foon  to  pafs  off  the  flage  of  this 
world,  and  to  give  an  account  of  ourfelves  to  God  the 
judge  of  all.  And  let  me  remind  you,  that  in  the 
judgment  of  the  great  day,  it  will  be  of  far  lefs  impor- 
ranee,  who  has  been  a  king,  or  mighty  monarch,  and 
^vhp  ^  Ptj-fon  of  low  degree,  than  it  wil)  be,  who  has 
'  bcea 


God  ruleth  in  the  Kingdom  oj  Mm.  43 

been  a  trwly  upright  and  good,  and  who  a  difhoneft 
and  wicked  man.  For  when  the  fea,  death  and  hell 
[hades]  Ihall  deliver  up  the  dead  that  were  in  them, 
^nd  the  fmall  and  great  ihall  (land  together  before 
God,  they  fhall  be  *'  judged  every  man  according  to 
''  their  works." 

Wherefore  now  unto  him,  the  king  ^eternal,  im- 
mortal, invifiblcwho  hath  prepared  his  throne  in  the 
heavens,  and  whofe  kingdom  ruleth  over  all  j  unto 
him  be  glory  for  ever  and   ever,   A  m  e  n. 


Page  24,  bottom,  for  1684,  read  1685. 


THE     END. 


